


Fallout

by Gottahavemyncis



Series: Serendipity [3]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Response to Danger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-10-08 05:36:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 33
Words: 145,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10379640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gottahavemyncis/pseuds/Gottahavemyncis
Summary: More than two years since the events of Serendipity and Ripples, Tim is working on a special project. And he’s not happy with what he finds. A tale of team and family, rated M for language and safety.





	1. Chapter 1

Fallout

Chapter 1

Sunday, April 21, 2019

Gibbs stood straight and tall, chuckling at something his wife said to him before looking at his family. Grinning, he said, "It's done! The house renovation is complete!"

Cheers, whistles, stomping feet and applause resounded around the table as they celebrated the renovation of their ranch house outside Albuquerque.

Eighteen months ago, acting on a tip from the Ortizes, the Gibbs-Mallard clan and Ellie's parents purchased a parcel of 600 acres at auction. The property included a 140-year-old dilapidated house, a similarly falling apart barn and several outbuildings. Since then they'd spent almost all of their holidays, vacations and leave time on the ranch working to make the old house livable and rehabilitating the barn to make it structurally sound, leaving further renovation of it and the outbuildings for the future.

Their work complete, the entire family was in New Mexico for Easter, enjoying their first vacation in the 12 bedroom, three-story home. As Sarah and her fiancé Bob Chalmers brought champagne and sparkling beverages around, Ellie smiled at her husband, gesturing to the non-alcoholic cider. Tim grinned back at her and the couple waited until everyone had a beverage.

After they toasted the work and the workers on the house, which included everyone except the babies of the family, Tim stood up. "Ellie and I have news to share."

She stood, took his hand and smiled at their kids who'd been very good about keeping the secret, before squeezing her husband's hand and saying. "We're pregnant! The baby is due the first of December; we know it's traditional to wait for the end of the first trimester but we couldn't resist telling everyone while we're all here."

Shannon grinned like a mad fiend; she'd told Jethro she was sure Ellie was pregnant. She'd been thrilled last December when her son and daughter-in-law brought a 3½-month-old baby girl named Lia home to foster. Since then they'd initiated adoption proceedings that would be final in a month or two, in plenty of time for Lia's first birthday in September. Now Shannon shook her head as she realized Mom and Dad would have two kids in diapers for a couple of years; no need to bring that up now. She loved being a grandmother to all three kids: Tyler and Bryn, now 6½ and almost 5½ and baby Lia, 7 months and couldn't wait to help with the new baby.

Grandpa Mac's smile was so wide it looked like it hurt. He loved all his kids, from Shannon and Jethro right on down the line. But his 'littles', his great-grandchildren, held a special place in his heart and now there would be a new one!

Jethro had tears of happiness in his eyes to match his grin. He loved his children and grandchildren beyond measure. After so many years of grief and loneliness, they filled his heart with a joy he never thought possible. The miraculous return of his beloved wife and daughter added another layer of impossible joy and the icing on the cake of his newfound happiness.

Barbara and Jerry Bishop were grinning as they congratulated their daughter and son-in-law. They too loved their grandchildren and were happy to welcome another child.

Tim thought it was funny that his mother and mother-in-law hugged each other and their dads shook hands and slapped backs before finally turning to their pregnant daughter and son. But then they had kept them waiting longer than planned. With all the tumultuous events before and after their wedding, they'd decided to wait before adding to the family, giving them all some necessary time to breathe.

Eventually, the commotion died down and the family finished their meal with dessert. As Tim and Jerry were the chefs that night, they left the cleanup for others and went for a walk, baby Lia riding in her Daddy pack on Grandpa Jerry's back. They talked about the new baby, the adoption proceedings and plans for the Gibbses' next trip to Tahlequah. Then Jerry stopped abruptly, turning to his son-in-law, "Tim, you know my hobby."

Tim smiled affectionately, "Watchdog of the world?"

"Yeah, well amateur watchdog of the world. There's talk, more talk, scarier talk than there's been in years; it's actually the scariest I ever remember. About an attack on the United States, one that would take us down."

"An attack like 9-11?"

"Worse, a nuclear attack."

"The attackers in the US?"

"No, from what I've heard it's not domestic."

"Any time frame?"

"No, just that there's a plan already in action."

Tim sighed, "Thanks for not bringing this up in front of the others. Ellie has another few weeks to go to the end of her first trimester; I'm hoping we can get there without upsetting her. Outside of routine upsets, I mean - we do have three young children."

"That's a good point, Tim and I won't say anything more. I just wondered if you knew anything, were hearing anything."

"There's always some rumor going around or some hot spot that the government worries about."

Jerry nodded, changing the subject. Days later he realized Tim hadn't answered his question. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The day before they left Albuquerque for home, Tim rode around the property on 'his' horse Vámonos. While the Ortizes owned him, Tim had learned to ride on him and whenever he was at the ranch, Vámonos was his. As they trotted through trees and grass, stopping for a drink at the creek, Tim thought about the rumors Jerry had heard and looked around him, more thankful than ever that they'd bought the ranch. It gave them options; any or all of the family could move here.

He and his father had first considered buying the house they'd lived in during their time in WITSEC but quickly realized it was too small. The idea of a ranch occurred during Tim's first visit to his in-laws' ranch in Oklahoma but then he, Dad and the kids moved home, he and Ellie got married and then Mom and Kelly reappeared after 25 years in WITSEC.

They'd added rooms onto Dad's little cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains but the nearly day long drive meant it would never be a gathering spot for the entire family. When Roger Ortiz called about the 600 acres going up for auction Dad presented the idea to the whole family and found a lot of interest.

Now, purely as a mind exercise, Tim thought about moving to the ranch. There was plenty of room for everyone. On the land, anyway, the house itself couldn't hold them all! However, there were several outbuildings of varying sizes and a large barn, all on the list for future renovations. Water could be a problem, water was as precious as ever in the region; they'd need to inquire about digging a well, hire a hydrologist to find sources. That took him back to Jerry's comments and Tim grimaced as he considered what was waiting for him in Washington.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Five weeks ago, he'd answered his desk phone late one afternoon. In the middle of reviewing a case file and expecting a call from his wife, he answered without looked at the caller id.

"Hello."

"Agent Gibbs, Secretary Porter."

Tim straightened his posture so fast he knocked a stack of paper to the floor. Rolling his eyes, he left them there.

"Afternoon, Ma'am. What can I do for you?"

"Need you to come to the Pentagon for a meeting; it is need to know and for now that means just you. No word to Leon, not yet. I'm not even at liberty to tell you the topic of the meeting."

Tim's eyebrows rose, "Yes Ma'am, when do you need me there?"

"Today, as soon as possible."

"Need to arrange for pickup for the kids." Tim's fingers flew on his cell phone.

"Eleanor is on a case?"

"Yes, they picked up a double homicide in Waynesboro this afternoon. Not expecting them back for a few hours."

"Let me know if you can't make it, Timothy. Time is of the essence but I also don't want to do this over the phone."

"Ma'am, I sent a text while we were talking and we're covered. I can come now if that works with your schedule."

"Yes, it does, thank you. Come in the south entrance."

"Will do; on my way." Gathering his jacket, Tim was out the door in minutes. As he left, he told Dallas, his second in command, that he had an offsite meeting.

Driving against the early evening commute traffic, he was at the Pentagon and in Secretary Porter's office in a matter of minutes. Ushered straight into her inner office, he nodded at Secretary Porter and then was surprised to find Socrates Finch there. He nodded to the NSA Director; they'd met at a party he'd attended with Ellie. "Director Finch."

"Special Agent Gibbs."

"Thank you for joining us, Timothy."

He nodded and when the SecNav gestured, he and Finch sat with her at the conference table.

Quickly Finch explained the reason for the secretive meeting. "Two U.S. agents intercepted a set of files said to contain information hostile to the United States. Unfortunately, we have no idea what's on the files as both agents were brutally murdered. However, one of them managed to get a thumb drive with the information to an ally and she got it to us. We need you for that thumb drive. There are three files on it, all heavily encrypted. We have our best cryptologists on it and they were the ones who mentioned your name. I understand you broke encryptions several years ago when the Domino Plan was stolen."

"We broke 7 of the 8 layers of encryptions, Sir. As time was of the essence, I uh…"

He turned to Secretary Porter who knowing the agent's history interpreted the gesture as meaning he'd done something illegal, probably with the tacit approval of Leon or his predecessor.

"Immunity granted, Agent Gibbs. Director Finch, none of this will be repeated, ever."

"You have my word, Secretary Porter, Agent Gibbs."

"I accessed the Pentagon for the hash number."

"And by accessed you mean hacked?"

Tim nodded and Finch continued, "That was the final outcome? But you'd already decrypted 7 of 8 layers."

"Yes, Sir."

"That's good enough for me." He held out his hand, "Welcome to the team, Agent Gibbs. You'll be working at our office for however much time Secretary Porter can spare you."

Tim shook Finch's hand, taking the packet he was offered as the man strode out of the office. He turned back to the Secretary.

"Which is easier for you to do, Timothy, NCIS in the morning and leave for NSA in the afternoon or the other way around?"

"NCIS in the morning, Ma'am. I assign cases, review what's active and that's generally when Director Vance schedules meetings."

"Good, then report to NSA tomorrow afternoon. That packet has an NSA id and parking pass for you as well as the pass code to the room you'll be working in. Timothy, aside from the seriousness of this, it's quite a feather in your cap, if you will, to be selected for this. You're the only one outside of the NSA on the team. The team lead recommended you, said you had a solid reputation and a balanced outlook."

"A balanced outlook?"

"I believe that means you'll verify before you jump to any conclusions."

"Oh, then yes ma'am. Learned that from my father when he was Boss Gibbs."

She smiled. "I imagine there's a rule or two about that?"

Tim nodded "Three and eight."

"If Leon questions you, refer him directly to me, don't say anything else."

"Understood."

"Two more things. Because of your wife's history with the NSA, Director Finch has given you permission to tell her that you're working with them on something. Not what, just that you're on a team. And I remember Leon saying something about 'all the Gibbses' being away for a vacation. Whenever that is, you'll still be taking it, we don't want any unnecessary questions."

Tim managed to keep his sigh of relief internal but the Secretary smiled anyway.

"Now, get home to your tribe! How are the children?"

"Growing like weeds and doing well in school. Ty's in first grade; Brynie is in kindergarten. And at 7 months, Lia's starting to move around like she's thinking about crawling."

She smiled, "As much as I want my daughter to accomplish her career goals, I also hope to have grandbabies someday."

Tim nodded, "Both sets of grandparents are pretty enthralled with them but then they are wonderful kids. Even if I am totally biased!"

With a smile, he tucked the packet into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and left the office. Driving home, he thought about his new assignment, wondering what they'd find.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

What they found over the next five weeks was perturbing. Although as far as he knew nothing had yet been verified, the team managed to break through the encryptions on the first two files. Once the information was decoded, it had been taken from them and they'd signed non-disclosure forms. Their team lead later told them that Intel analysts and others were now working to verify the information. When Tim left on vacation, the decryption team was still working the last piece of the second file and starting work to break open the third one.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Back in DC from the ranch and vacation, the Gibbses unpacked, settling into their routines. Tim was not looking forward to telling the SecNav and his NSA leads that the rumors were out there and were not only specific but very close to what they'd found. He wondered if the information had been verified and if that had somehow triggered the rumors. Jerry's suspicions had far more substance than he'd imagined.

The first day back at work he spent the morning catching up with his crew and reviewing the cases they'd handled in the ten days he'd been away. Of the 14 new cases in, they'd sent one to the Singapore CCU, one to Seattle and one to San Diego and handled the rest internally, successfully closing six. That left five new active cases; he read the reports on those, satisfied with the work and progress they'd made. He worked through lunch, feeling guilty about deserting his post for his 'other job'. On the way to the NSA offices, he used a burn phone to call Secretary Porter about the rumors heard by an ordinary citizen in Oklahoma.

Parking the Acura in his designated spot, he had the sudden thought that they should all drive diesel fueled, four-wheel drive vehicles. He could easily convert them to "Fry Power"; that is the use of cooking oil as fuel. They could grow the ingredients for cooking oil, who knew how long fossil fuel would last or even be accessible.

When he reached the room where the decrypting team worked, he took a deep breath before entering. After quietly telling the team leads of the rumor he'd heard, purposely neglecting to mention the source, he got to work. He was dismayed to find another layer of encryption had been cracked with information that was even more alarming than what they'd seen previously.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Life continued and Tim found comfort in his family's routine. Ellie reached the end of her first trimester in May and they had their first ultrasound. They couldn't see much but there were no chromosomal abnormalities and they breathed a little easier. In early June, the kids finished school and started a new routine of days of fun at the beach in Fenwick with Grandpa, Poppy, and Nonny, frequently joined on the weekends by Daddy, Mommy and some of the aunts and uncles. Even Aunty Breena got into the fun, bringing Granducky and the Palmer 'cousins' to Grandpa's for a day at the beach. Grandpa Mac loved all the company; these last four years had been the best since Kelly was little!

Other fun things were closer to home; the kids and their parents enjoyed playing with their dog Neo. A young standard poodle, they'd brought her home as an 8 month old puppy when her owner, a neighbor of Kelly and Rob's, died suddenly.

She was the perfect dog for them, quiet, loved her immediate family as well as her grandparents, aunties and uncles. Best of all, Tim, Tyler, and Brynie could breathe around her without problems. When Poppy and Nonnie, or any family member, took the kids to Grandpa's, Neo always went with them.

Whenever their adults weren't available, the children continued their day care attendance. That was fun too as there were always interesting activities there in the summer. Both pools made their debut in May, one on either end of the block of E. Laurel occupied by Gibbses. That made everyone happy!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This story deals with a dark subject matter, a possible nuclear attack. No real graphic details. If it bothers you, please remember this is fiction or don't continue reading (although I hope you will).

 

Chapter 2

Thursday, June 13th, 2019

Nearly to mid-June, Tim's alarm reached what he considered epic levels. While they kept working on the last file, the decryption team hadn't been told whether anything had been confirmed. That Thursday when Director Finch stepped in to thank them for their hard work and said their work was done, the man's body language gave Tim the answer.

The team was dispersed and amazingly, no one gave them any instructions or prohibitions about sharing the information. When files one and two were decrypted, everyone involved signed non-disclosure agreements for each sub-file. However, when they'd busted into the third file there were no papers to sign. By the previous evening, they'd gotten through all but one of the encrypted sub-files on the third file and Tim felt that one might haunt him forever. They knew the 'what' but the 'when and where' were still unclear. And the 'who' was a total mystery. He left the building feeling more fear and anxiety than he had since he was a 9-year old orphan abandoned with his baby sister.

On a whim and needing to do something 'normal', he stopped at Costco on the way home. Along with ordinary household items, he bought two cases of cooking oil, feeling ridiculous but determined. There was still the possibility the threat wasn't real or wouldn't be executed and that would be wonderful but he was not going to lose any of his family, he'd be as prepared as he could be. When he carried the boxes in, Ellie looked at him, questioning. He shook his head, he'd tell her later. Dinner had been in a slow cooker all day and now the four of them sat around the table brought back after their release from WITSEC, Lia in her high chair.

Ty and Brynie had been on an overnight to Grandpa's with Nonny and Poppy and talked about jumping the waves, chasing Neo on the beach, finding seashells, playing at the playground, having a campfire on Grandpa's patio and sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags! Overall, they'd had a grand adventure and a wonderful time. That was fine, with their jobs, there wasn't much Tim or Ellie could say about their days anyway, except that it had been either busy or quiet. When they caught a criminal, they might mention it but heavily edited the details.

After the kids were tucked in, the baby sound asleep in her crib, Ellie sat in her husband's lap. "Tell me."

Despite his silence, Ellie had guessed the project had some potentially deadly information and she'd heard the same rumors her father reported. Now that the team had been dismissed and no one said to keep quiet, Tim had few qualms about sharing with his wife.

"More evidence that something will be happening and it's damn frightening. And we're done; the director thanked us, gave us cash bonuses. Cash, when has the government ever done that? And then dismissed the team. Without saying anything else, Ellie! And I had this idea that we should all be driving diesels because I can convert the engines to running on cooking oil."

Responding to the news, Ellie held onto her husband, murmuring to him. Then she raised her head, "Is that why you bought two cases of cooking oil?"

"Yeah."

"My truck's already diesel. You can convert that first, make it your prototype."

Tim shook his head, "Not unless we trade cars until the baby's born. Cooking oil, especially the used cooking oil we might be able to get, has a distinct odor to it. If you decide you can stand it, then I'll do your truck."

"Hm, yes, I've noticed several things that used to smell fine are now disgusting."

"Such as?"

"Coffee, sad to say. Uncooked eggs, even in the shell, in the carton in the refrigerator. And strawberries, dang it!"

"Fresh or frozen?"

"Fresh, haven't tried frozen."

"What about if they're in a smoothie or shake?"

"Don't know; I could try."

"Anything else?"

"Beer smells like baby pee to me."

"And that's not just after changing Lia's diaper?" He said it with a smile so she'd know he was kidding. He was finding pregnancy hormones meant mood swings and getting through a conversation without inadvertently landing on one of the suddenly hurtful, maddening or stressful topics was sometimes tricky.

"Nope."

"Do you think it would help if we put the eggs in one of those plastic egg holders Dad has for camping?"

"That's a good idea, let's borrow his and see."

They cuddled for a bit before she said, "When do you think?"

He looked at her, undecided. Jimmy said the worst of the mood swings would go away toward the end of her first trimester and wouldn't reappear until the baby was nearly due with Ellie likely to be uncomfortable. That had mostly happened. Mostly. Now he had a choice: deflect and risk the wrath of the woman who hated being treated differently 'just because' she was pregnant or tell her what he believed, cause her more stress and risk her health and the baby's. He knew she'd want the truth, no matter what.

"We're not at all sure but our best guess is sometime between October and December. And I want us to be safe long before that."

She nodded, "Then we need to leave for the ranch by the end of July, first of August. I looked at our finances on my lunch break the other day. If we take Gemcity's funds too, we have enough for all the Gibbses for 11 months. But we've got a lot to do between now and then."

He opened his mouth to say something but nodded instead. "Did you look at the overseas account?"

"No, I haven't looked at that since the day you first told me about it. Besides, DiNozzo either heard something or was bored, he was nosing around."

Tim snorted, "Some things never change. All right, let's look at that now and then see what kind of diesel vehicle we want."

She patted her tummy, "We'll need the biggest van we can buy. We'll need room for Mac and Ducky on the trip."

"I think they go as high as 15 or 16 passengers, but with the kids' seats, figure we'll have room for 14. And most of the luggage will go up top."

"Or we buy a trailer."

"For our things or for us?"

"Hm, that might be an idea for your folks, an RV and they could tow the truck but I meant for our stuff."

"We're going to need trucks to haul supplies, I don't want to take the risk of getting to New Mexico and finding we can't stock the way we need to or wiping out the inventory so the locals don't have supplies."

"What about a bomb shelter?"

"Not there yet. What about your folks?"

"Can't tell them until the last minute, can we? Can't start a panic. We'll have to be careful how we prepare."

"Yeah, thought of that when I was leaving Costco; we're going to have to go to different ones." He shook his head, "This is ridiculous Els; it's not going to happen!"

"That'll be great; we'll come home and talk about our grand adventure."

Tim shuddered, "That's what Dad and I said the night the marshals came for us."

Logging into their overseas account, he showed her the balance and she reacted, "Timothy Jackson Gibbs, we could have paid for the New Mexico property and the renovations by ourselves without making a dent!"

"I put my share of the Navy letter money in. And the interest has been piling up for several years, Ellie; you know I hate depleting our assets. And it's the Gibbs extended family ranch, not the 'Timothy Gibbses' ranch."

With the successful convictions of Svetlana Stacevyko, Ric Krose, Joann Fielding, and the traitorous Stanson brothers, the formal investigation into Tim's missing letters to the Navy resumed. Eventually, an entire file cabinet full of letters was found hidden in a basement full of old equipment; he and Sarah had not been the only victims. The civilian who'd let them pile up over the years shrugged when asked why. "It was too much work. That one kid always wanted something; the others never left me alone."

Sadly for him, he was found to have accepted funds from Svetlana and although she'd apparently only contacted and paid him once, he'd continued to bury Tim's - and others' - letters. Sentenced to 15 years in prison for bribery among other things, he lost his job, benefits, retirement, and wife.

The Navy settled out of court with all the victims, although the McGee children were the most affected. Sarah and Tim were finally compensated for the money they should have had to be housed, fed, clothed and educated. Additional funds were settled on them for their pain and suffering, in Tim's case, literal pain and suffering. The Navy also compensated the hospital that treated Tim for the stabbing and donated to the Camp Alumni non-profit organization. While the siblings were satisfied, their parents felt there was nothing that could truly compensate for their lost childhoods.

With the miraculous reappearance of his wife and daughter, Jethro never returned to work full-time after his knee healed. He worked as a trainer for new agents, making sure the agency's post-FLETC probationary agents had more in-depth training in investigatory skills, crime scene procedures along with basic MMA classes and additional training on the firing range. He taught the investigative, crime scene and firearms classes and the MMA classes were taught by other agents or when the budget cooperated, an MMA master. They'd piloted the training through the Georgia FLETC location and when it was deemed successful Jethro also took on the New Mexico location, hand-picking two additional retired agents for the other FLETC locations.

Everyone involved reported success with the new agent training and NCIS team leaders chronicled a significant decrease in time needed to train in the basics once the newbies were assigned to a team. An additional bonus was the standardization of training, previously left to individual team leaders who often delegated to their SFAs.

That was still his responsibility but as FLETC classes were only held once or twice a year and he'd only taken on the two locations, he had free time. Most of that he used to renovate or flip houses with Shannon and Tobias. The trio wasn't especially fast but their work had already gained a sterling reputation and their houses brought steadily increasing profits. As Tim predicted years ago, Freddie and Jose eagerly took on the plumbing jobs and their business was booming.

Tim handled the electrical work when he had the time and because his parents and Fornell weren't speedy, he could usually make time. When they were able to, his siblings helped too. Tony was an adept framer while Sarah loved to demo and Geo found he was good at drywalling and painting. Kelly and Rob threw in design ideas and helped where they could but the two of them were usually swamped at the hospital and at the free clinic they ran in Baltimore with Jimmy and Ducky.

Ellie chuckled as she pulled her husband in for a kiss. "You're always prepared, sweetie. I do love that about you."

"That's good because we're about to become Mr. and Mrs. Prepare for Survival."

She nodded, "I know neither of us wants to believe it and hey if it doesn't happen we can open a restaurant or a cooking school. And I'll be the first student!"

Tim managed a smile, "I was thinking about long-term room for beds at the ranch, but you're right, we should talk shelter first. Let's figure out how many people we'd have."

Making a list, they came up with 76 people they would need to shelter, rounding it up to 80. That meant fresh air, potable water, food, beds, toilets, and bathing for that many people for however long they had to stay until it was safe to be outside again.

Along with generators, fresh air, air circulation, heating, and cooling, they also added laundry, school/activities for the children, an indoor garden so they could avoid radioactive food, and entertainment. When Tim wrote down books, Ellie looked at him. "Just books?"

"Don't know how the electronic world will hold up or for how long and who from outside the blast zone or the US will come to our aid. Might not be friendlies who show up first; huh, we need weapons too. Firearms, ammunition, knives, Tasers, heck, bows and arrows. Anyway, back to books, might be months before we can use solar panels to charge anything. Need history books, textbooks for the kids, books about government, gardening and basic survival, anything we can get our hands on. Maybe all of those "'Whatever' for Dummies" books. If we decide it's important for future generations to know about the US before the attack, we'll need paper maps, geography books, and more history books.

"How to build things. Not buildings per se, but cars, bikes, things none of us knows how to do. Medical books and as many medical supplies and equipment as we can cram in. Yes, the rest of the world will still be there but I don't know how we'll communicate with them, or each other."

"What about food?"

"Canned goods and grow our own and I don't know, would chickens, cows or sheep be able to live in a bomb shelter?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Maybe a separate one and we can have a tunnel between us. That's going to smell so bad."

"Good point and we'd need a slaughter room. Oops, sorry…" he called as Ellie ran for the bathroom. She was back in a couple of minutes, "False alarm but how about you talk with our dads about the livestock?"

"Good idea. Ok, plumbing, we'll need septic tanks and leach fields. A water source, huh that'll have to be stored, can't risk piping in water."

"So no rainwater?"

Tim shook his head. "Dry showers of some sort."

She grinned at him, "Honey, this isn't Star Trek!" They both chuckled, which felt good considering their grim discussion.

"I know but we're going to need what water we have for drinking, for people and any animals. Potty, bathing and laundry are going to be problems."

"And we can't hang clothes outside after we're above ground again because - oh cloud cover? We'll need lots of Vitamin D."

Tim nodded, "Yeah, need a full range of vitamins for everyone."

He googled "bathing without water" and came up with several results. He read them aloud, "There's a product called NoAgua invented by a teenager, doesn't need any water at all. I'm going to see if we can order a few cases. In addition, huh, I didn't know that apple cider vinegar works as a deodorant. It has many uses; let's think about adding that to the volume purchases. Ah, also wet naps, baby wipes for no-water bathing. That's good to know. Let's see if I can find this guy with the NoAgua product."

He found a website for the product, saw the company shipped worldwide and sent the proprietor, now in his 20s, a message, asking if he could bulk order. He looked at his watch, frowning. The time difference was 6 hours so he probably wouldn't hear back tonight. He smiled several minutes later when his laptop chimed with an incoming message. From the young entrepreneur who reported there were two types of product and described them. He also confirmed bulk orders were acceptable for either product or a mix and that shipping was included in the price.

Realizing the real difference in the two products, that the profits from the premium product likely allowed the young businessman to keep the cost lower for the second product, Tim input an order on the website for several cases of each, making sure to order more of the premium product than the lower cost one. He included a note that said he worked with a non-profit organization that helped the homeless and his product would be a godsend for many people. He gave the shipping address as the ranch house in New Mexico. No use schlepping anything they could have shipped. He stopped to think about that.

"We should probably be careful what we ship."

"Because?"

"For one thing, anything we ship will sit on the front porch, a clear sign nobody's home. And we don't want to attract unnecessary attention to what we're doing."

"When can we tell everyone?"

"Not sure. I guess now although I don't want to start a panic."

"But you had permission to tell me."

"Sort of. I had permission in March to tell you I was working on something. It was purely my decision to tell you the rest of it today. None of us were told anything or given anything to sign before Finch left us this afternoon. I don't know, Eleanor; on the one hand, we're not going to sit on our hands and do nothing to save our family and friends. On the other hand, we all took oaths when we became federal agents, no matter what agency."

"Who does your weekly report go to?"

He told her and she nodded. "And what do you think they're going to do?"

"Save themselves and their families."

"Damn skippy they are! Tim, I know some of those people; I'm sure they've already got their bags packed, money moved and will find excuses to leave town as soon as they see the report."

He looked at her, smiling. "Leave town, that's what we need, an excuse to leave town and have mounds of supplies!"

"So what's the excuse?"

"Summer camp?"

"For who, us?"

"Yes, but not just us. We could say we're hosting a bunch of people for, let's say a taste of the Southwest. People will stay at the ranch and that's why we need the supplies."

"That's not a bad idea and we will be hosting a bunch of people."

"Need to see Porter."

"When?"

"I'll update her tomorrow and I want permission to tell our fathers and Vance."

"Good! Here's another idea. Call our dads tonight and tell them you want all of us to have diesel vehicles that can run on cooking oil and that you'd like to have a large supply of cooking oil at the ranch. My dad might figure it out, your dad will ask, and I'll tell him. Mm, don't call them on the regular phone. Use our emergency text so each will use his burn phone."

"I like your ideas. Dad's still an agent, we can probably squeeze by telling him but your father is a civilian."

"He is now but he was a sheriff's deputy for several years while they were building the ranch."

"Huh, that's pretty slim, Eleanor but it's something I guess. All right. I don't want to wait until I speak with Porter. Rule 18."

She nodded and got both her phones out, her regular one and her burn phone. She used her regular phone to send the coded text to her father. Ten minutes later, her burn phone rang. Tim answered, "We're fine, no immediate problem and none with Ellie, the kids or the pregnancy."

"Thank you, son. What's up? I had to look for the burn phone. I feel very covert."

"Good, hold onto that feeling because what we're about to tell you has to stay with you for now."

"Ok. I'm in Ellie's old room, Barbara's reading in bed but I can't be heard from there."

Ellie made a noise, "I wish I'd known when I was still living there!"

Tim grinned at her before continuing with the grim news.

"Jerry, what you said about the rumors, we believe they're true. However, I have insider knowledge I'm not allowed to share. And you can't either, not even with Barbara."

There was a gulp and then "You have my word. Do you have any information you can share?"

"We'll be arriving in New Mexico in late July, early August. And we'll be driving diesel fueled vehicles; actually, I'm planning on converting our rides to use cooking oil."

"Biofuel, I've read about that, got neighbors who converted their diesel trucks."

"I bought cases of cooking oil tonight and will continue to do so. And we have a list of other items that we'll need."

"Food, water, shelter…oh."

"Yeah, next step is to look into bomb shelters. We figure at least 80 people with all the Bishops, all of us Gibbses and the extended family."

"Wow, so air, water, food, power, toilets, beds, clothing, for how long?"

"I'm not sure about that yet. I'm trying to be discreet about what I look at online."

"I can do it. I'm always looking up weird things."

"Thanks, that'll help. I looked a few nights ago and what I saw was disconcerting to say the least. Also, if you can figure out how much food, protein, etc. is needed on a daily basis for adults and then children under the age of 15. The older kids we figured in with the adults."

"And Dad, if you have any ideas about adding livestock to the shelter and slaughtering it, let us know."

Tim looked at her, "I thought…"

"I'm all right with it now."

"All righty. Sorry Jerry."

Jerry nearly bit his tongue to stifle a remark about pregnancy hormones that would surely offend his daughter. "That's okay. An easier way would be to buy a large quantity of already processed meat, for example, a half cow and freeze it until needed."

"Much better idea. Need a huge freezer but we can work on that. Or we can go meatless; eat beans and other proteins. Hmm, generators need to run on cooking oil too."

"I can research that too. Beans all the time? Let's think about that. So, what size generator, oh, we need the size of the shelter first, huh?"

"Yes, and it needs to be a high protection factor, 1000 if we can swing it."

"All right, I'll get on that. Hey, the ranch house basement floor is dirt."

"Right but we'd have to take the outside wall down to fit a premade shelter in there. And since the outside wall supports the house, that's not going to happen. Or maybe a shelter goes deep enough to go under the foundation."

"Might be easier to build a tunnel up into the basement. To check radiation levels without too much exposure, maybe store food in the root cellar."

"Huh, that's a good idea. We'll need a radiation monitor; Ducky has one but it belongs to the agency. And at least one hazmat suit for whoever's taking readings."

"We'd rotate that and it should be us older folks."

"We can argue about that later. All right, think that's enough to get started?"

"Yes. And Tim, our trucks are already diesel so you can cross the Bishops off your list for that."

"Good, thanks."

They said good night and hung up. Looking at his watch, Tim sent his dad a coded text and had a call back in less than a minute.

"What's up?"

"You someplace private?"

"Your mom's reading in bed, I'm in the basement."

"Ok, here's what's happening." Tim quickly explained the possible threat, leaving out his work but giving his dad a codeword that served as a verbal eyebrow rub.

"Holy shit!" Tim heard him take a deep breath, "This what you've had on your mind? We've been worried but hoped you'd talk to Ellie or come to one of us. So we're going to the ranch; when?"

Tim told him and included the discussions they'd had that evening. "All right. Guess you haven't noticed but my truck's diesel."

Tim chuckled, "So it's just the Acura that needs to go."

"You'll need a bigger vehicle anyway."

"Yes."

They exchanged several ideas and Dad took on a large part of the purchases. "You're better at research but I can handle buying stuff and storing it. I like your cover story, I'll use it too."

With a sigh, he agreed not to tell his wife or any of the others. Once they disconnected, Tim started transferring funds from Gemcity's offshore account to the account he'd set up in Albuquerque before they left nearly three years ago. He and Dad would probably need to go to New Mexico to work out the shelter details; he couldn't yet bring himself to think of it as a 'bomb' shelter. Maybe he'd refer to it as a survival shelter.

The transfers complete, he gathered his wife, who was dozing next to him and went to bed. Despite the frightening discussions and actions that day, he fell asleep right away.

His father was not so lucky. He was up half the night trying to absorb the news; making lists of what to take and what they would need. He did a quick inventory of the basement, guessing Tim's über-organizational skills were rubbing off on him or maybe he was the original source. He thought it was more likely his mother Anne. Finally, he trudged upstairs to bed, falling into a dead sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Friday, June 14th, 2019

Tim had his meeting with Secretary Porter Friday afternoon. When he called for an appointment, he was told she had time at 1600. Her staff was gone when he walked in and he frowned, she should have her security team close by.

She smiled, guessing at his thought, "They're not here in the office, Timothy but they're around."

He nodded and then taking a deep breath, said, "I don't feel I can hold this back from you any longer. I'm making plans and you should too, Ma'am."

"It's real then?"

"We believe so, a very credible threat."

"Know who or when yet?"

"Not yet but my father-in-law told me it's a group, not a country. He calls himself an amateur watchdog. And we're unclear as to the 'when' but the information we uncovered indicates sometime in the autumn."

"I see. A group, which makes it worse, tougher to find and diplomacy's tricky."

"The rumor and the files indicate it'll be a nuclear attack which requires a lot of resources."

"Hmm, a very well-funded group. Are you still on track to complete the decryptions?"

That was a surprise and he told her what happened the day before. "We had one piece of the third file left. We got through but we couldn't decipher the information. And now that we're finished, I want to tell my family and friends, including Leon, and get out of town."

"Of course and I'll be doing that as well. Your family?"

"Going to our ranch in New Mexico. We have room for you and your daughter."

"Thank you! However, I have a cousin in Hawaii we'll probably visit. If that doesn't work out, may we join you?"

"Certainly! Here are the address and landline phone number."

"A landline?"

"My father insisted and they frequently work during power outages. I imagine cell towers will be disrupted in an attack. Without knowing where and when or even if the attack will take place, it'll be impossible to reroute signals beforehand."

"That's something to consider. Now, I thank you for telling me and I will tell Leon tonight. I'm having dinner with him and Lara."

Tim was so relieved he knew it showed on his face. "We're also planning on them joining us, ma'am."

"All right, I'll certainly let them know." She looked at Tim, "You haven't been telling everyone?"

"My wife yes, as agreed and our fathers last night. And now you."

She rose from her chair, walked around her desk and stood straight in front of him; he understood he was about to be given an order. "Special Agent Gibbs, this is a direct order to tell the rest of your family, friends and anyone else you believe is in danger. Leave when you feel it's necessary; don't wait for anyone's approval."

"Thank you!" With a nod, he flew out the door as Porter collapsed into her chair, shocked and needing time to absorb the news.

He headed home, texting Ellie that he was on his way but would stop to pick up dinner as he'd forgotten to get their dinner started this morning. She replied that she was already home, his father was grilling for them and his mother was making coleslaw, a favorite of Tim's.

The kids were in the pool when he got home, Nonny watching them. He kissed his wife and baby daughter, his mom and dad, waved to the kids, ran upstairs to change into his swimsuit, ran back down, looked for small bodies, yelled a warning and jumped in. It felt so good to relax for a few minutes. He played with his children until Dad called, "Time to dry off."

Carrying Tyler under one arm and Brynie under the other, Tim climbed out, setting them on their feet. Lia squealed and held out her arms to him so he tucked her under an arm too. She liked that until she realized how wet she was and squawked. Laughing, he pulled her into his arms and wrapped her in a towel. "There, is that better?"

She patted his face, "Dada." Her first two words, spoken for the first time their last day at the ranch, were "Mama" and "Dada" and although they supposed that was common with babies, they couldn't help feeling that Lia was the cleverest child the world had ever known.

As Tim kissed her, he told her, "That'll get you anything you want, forever."

Ty and Brynie headed upstairs to change into dry clothes while Tim looked at his parents and Ellie. "I spoke with Secretary Porter this afternoon."

Dad paused, tongs in hand. "She knows?"

Puzzled, Shannon looked at her son, husband and daughter-in-law. Tim caught the look and included her in his reply.

"Now she does; she gave me a direct order to tell our families and friends. She also ordered me to, well, that's getting ahead of myself. Mom, we have bad trouble coming, very bad. There's a chance it might not happen but we haven't figured out who it is yet. We're moving to the ranch, all of us, the Bishops too."

Her face paled and she clutched at Tim's hand. "We have to leave home again?"

"Yes. We'll have a very large hole dug outside the basement wall of the ranch house. When it's ready we hope we'll have a concrete premade shelter that will be installed and then buried under several feet of hard-packed dirt."

Shannon looked at him in shock, "A bomb shelter?"

"Yes, one big enough to house about 80 of us for a couple of months, maybe longer." She was silent, staring at him for a couple of minutes before she managed another word:

"Supplies."

"Yes, we've started buying and we should plan to have enough for 8 -12 months. That way we'll have food for 'After' and won't have to worry about contamination. We're shipping what we can directly to the ranch but we'll have to transport a lot of it. In addition, there's a lot of organizing that needs to happen. I'll probably borrow Dad for a few days to fly out and supervise the installation of the shelter once we find one. Also, we need to figure out how to store water other than in gallon jugs, what to use for toilets, start seedlings that we can plant underground and a whole bunch of other things."

"When?"

"I was told today that we should go as soon as I feel it's necessary. We think it won't happen until October or November but there's no way of knowing and we'd prefer Ellie not travel much beyond July."

"All of us, my dad?"

"Of course and Ducky. The entire extended family and anyone else who wants to join us. Dad, I thought of Cal Frazier and his family."

"Stillwater? You think the blast range will affect Pennsylvania? You don't know the target area."

They abruptly stopped talking as the kids opened the slider and Ellie gathered them, "Come on kids, let's get the table set."

Tim took Lia upstairs to change her and get out of his own wet clothes. Tyler and Brynie entertained them over dinner and they all helped clean up. Finally, it was time for the kids to go to bed, no bath needed tonight after their swim. Tim reflected he should order another tube or two of the NoAgua so they could get used to it. The kids went through their nightly routine, with hugs and kisses from their parents and grandparents. Ellie made a mental note to check on the progress of Lia's adoption, hoping it would be finalized before they left.

Downstairs they waited to make sure the kids were asleep, that is until Tim huffed to himself, went quietly back upstairs, quickly returning.

He pointed to his smart watch. "I turned on the monitors in their rooms and keyed them to my watch. If they make any noise, we'll know."

"Let's go down to the playroom anyway."

Tim grabbed his laptop as they went while his father smirked at him, grabbing the coffee carafe.

They settled into the loveseat and other comfortable seating that had migrated to the basement. "Planning session?"

"Yes, starting as soon as possible, this weekend."

"All right, first I think we should call Jerry so he can tell Barbara."

Ellie nodded and Tim sent the coded text. Jerry called, whispering. "Can't really talk."

Ellie answered him, "That's okay, Tim has permission now. Is Mom there?"

"Yes. I'll put you on speaker." They heard him say something to Barbara.

"Hello darling, is everything all right?"

"Yes and no Mom. Dad will explain more when we get off the phone but for now, we need to tell you that all of us are moving to New Mexico as soon as possible."

"That should be wonderful but your voice doesn't sound happy."

"No, I mean yes it's wonderful we have a place to go but the reason is awful. Mom, there's a strong nuclear threat and we feel, Tim, Jethro, Shannon and I, feel we need to get the entire extended family to shelter at the ranch."

"Oh my God, Ellie!"

"We're making lists and starting to work on them. We spoke with Dad earlier in the week because he'd heard a rumor and mentioned it to Tim when we were all at the ranch. Tim was under orders and couldn't say anything. "

Tim took up the narrative. "I met with the Secretary of the Navy this afternoon. I've been reporting directly to her for several weeks about a project I've been working on with another agency, one dealing with this threat, and today I told her she should prepare to leave. She gave me a direct order to tell my family and friends and to leave when we're ready, when I feel we need to go. You may be fine in Oklahoma but I'd prefer you were farther west with us. Communications and travel will be compromised for at least a few weeks, possibly months and we'd rather we all be together." He paused for another thought, "We also don't know how many locations will be attacked and what the post-attack plan is. To invade or just watch us struggle to survive. Probably not to invade because of the aftereffects but who can be sure? Anyway, with our collective experience in law enforcement, we can make a difference. If it becomes your typical fictional post-Apocalyptic wasteland then we'll work with local law enforcement; we'll see. With any luck, the whole thing is a hoax or won't happen."

"Is that your gut feeling?"

"No. My gut feeling says we need to pack and get out of here." He quickly added, "Jerry, have you had time to find out anything?"

"Yes Tim, I've been in contact with a company in Tulsa that makes premade survival shelters. I went to look at the models today; it was a very strange experience. There's a shelter large enough for 80 people, it's actually built to house 100. That gives us a little more wiggle room and the safety rating is 1000 as you requested. All the shelters are round, not square or rectangular, they said the tests they conducted back in the 70's and 80's and the more current computer models all point to round as being safer. I have no idea why but I did look online and verify that.

"Now, the one the vendor says we need is a concrete dome and comes with a water tank, air scrubber with oxygen supply, all geared to our census, for the days after the strikes when the outside air is bad, air circulation pumps with manual valves and toilets. And other options I'll tell you about in a minute.

"I talked to the owner about generators; he uses vegetable oil to run his diesel generator. He made some recommendations: two generators to keep everything going and a used one for a third, for spare parts or if we need more power. I sketched the back of the house and the basement and he showed me the extension they can build onto the shelter to tunnel over to the house and up into the basement.

"The tunnel comes in three parts to guarantee the best seal. We'll have at least two tunnels, one for the outside or main entrance and the one up to the basement. They'll also build a decontamination room off each tunnel with a shower linked to the water supply. Our trash will also be stored in there. There are other extensions, or rooms, that we can add to the basic shelter. He gave me contact information for companies that sell the hazmat suits and monitors we need. He thought two would be plenty.

"Anyway, I wanted to talk with you before I put an order in for the shelter but he's got the model we want on a 48-hour hold for us. They take care of the entire installation, transporting, excavating, setting the shelter in, and packing the dirt around and on top. He said if we found generators and have them transported to the ranch, he and his crew will put them in the shelter.

"Now, we can save some money by putting up our own interior walls, which is easy and bringing our own furniture. Otherwise, they build a mix of bunk beds and a few larger beds and put shelving up along the walls."

As Jerry spoke, Tim listened while he ran a deep background check on the vendor, needing to make sure they were legitimate and not on anyone's Watch List. He did a quick read of their FBI file, which pegged them as a legitimate business providing a product for survivalists while not having any close ties with any of those groups or any group outside the U.S. That left Tim wondering how they'd gotten into their unusual business and then saw it had been started by the current owner's great-grandfather after World War II; it flourished during the Cold War with the Soviet Union. That made sense. The business also manufactured and sold other precast concrete forms used in the construction industry.

"How much will all that cost? What are the extensions? And what about sewage?"

When Jerry gave them the figure, including transportation and installation, Shannon and Barbara gasped while Tim didn't even blink. "Ok."

"All right. Because he's in Tulsa, he'll need time to transport everything, including the generators if I find them up here. For sewage, he recommends a septic tank or tanks rated for the number of people we'll have. If we do that, he'll subcontract that out for us and supervise the installation and setup when they install the shelter.

"As for the extensions, the basic shelter has space for small bedrooms, restrooms, a kitchen area that looks like a commercial kitchen and a large common area. I saw a model there that also had a garden room, classroom, media room, gym and a library. The tunnel extensions will also give us areas for a pantry and some storage for larger items but if we don't have a few of these extensions, we'll be tripping over each other.

"I have the cost with all the areas I mentioned; if we don't take some of them, it comes down." He told them the price for the extras and Tim asked, "If we buy the model they have on hold for us, can they add any extensions we decide on before they transport?"

"Yes, but it's a narrow window. The one they're holding for us is the last one; we'd have to wait another six weeks for one that size. We'll get a 20% discount off the total shelter price, not including transport, setup and labor, if another customer mentions us and buys a shelter from them, doesn't matter what size. A referral fee."

"All right, that's good, let's keep that in mind. Sounds like we should talk about the extensions now. We know we're going to need to grow food so that once we leave the shelter we'll have food that's not contaminated."

Shannon nodded, "Gardening is also a good stress reliever. And we can use it to teach the kids to self-sustain. And it would be good to have fresh food along with whatever else we come up with."

Barbara agreed, "I agree, I think we should include that one."

Jethro cleared his throat, "Tim believes we'll be in the shelter anywhere from twelve to sixteen weeks, depending on the areas that are attacked and how many missiles. We can't go outside until the atmosphere is safe enough. The children will need activity and direction and it seems like holding classes would be a great way to do that. Jerry, was the classroom big enough to hold all our kids? And, geez, I don't know how many we'll have."

Tim nodded, "One of the things Ellie and I put together last night. Right now we have 14 starting with Teddy Palmer and going up to college students Kayla, Emily, and Jared."

Jerry answered, "Yeah, Jethro, I made a little sketch of how the classroom is set up. They had the room divided in half with two teachers' desks, at opposite ends of the room. There's room for 40-50 kids so all of ours will be fine."

The four Gibbses looked at each other, nodding and Ellie said, "Dad, if you and Mom agree, we'll go for the classroom too."

With some discussion, they also agreed on the fitness center and the media room and then stopped at the library. However, Tim insisted, "We're all going to need peace and quiet at times. Besides, we need to bring a ton of books because I have no idea if our electronics will work and if this happens, most of us won't be able to return home. So I vote yes on the library, we'll need a place to shelve the books we bring from home. And we have all the other rooms; this one is for all of us bibliophiles!"

Jerry chuckled, "So we're agreed on the library too?" He heard five "ayes" and said, "All right, so we are purchasing the basic shelter with all the extensions, which means we're now at the deluxe level. And there's one more thing, our pets. I know we're not the only people with pets!"

Ellie nodded, "We worried about that. There's no way we'd go without Neo, Chirp the parakeet or any of our fish and turtles in the aquariums."

"I spoke with the vendor about it and there is a solution that I think would work for us, for dogs and cats anyway. It's another extension, with two tunnels. The extension is a divided room, floor to ceiling, with two entrances with cats on one side, dogs on the other. At the back of the room will be a tunnel the same size as the one to the basement but it won't lead to anything, it just ends. It's also divided in half and the thought is the tunnel will be the dogs' bathroom and we could put litter boxes on the other side for the cats. We'll have to wire the whole thing, owners will need light in there but we'll keep the animals out of their extension and out of the shelter until it's wired and ready for them. The second tunnel would link to our shelter and have the same seals the basement tunnel has and the last third of it will have two doors and be divided same as the shelter itself.

"That means our shelter has four tunnels total. One from the main entrance into the shelter, one from the basement to the shelter, one to the pet shelter and the fourth one will be the poop tunnel.

"If we're inside for three or four months, that's a lot of animal poop to deal with. We called a plumber we know and asked if septic tanks can handle animal poop and he said no. I did a little research and came up with a doggie poop composter. We'll need water to be added to it daily but we can work out a schedule. It can't be added to the garden but once we're out, it can be buried in the ground. That seems the best bet for the dogs. Cat poop contains bacteria that are not good for humans or other animals so no composting for them. Our best solution for cat poop is litter boxes and trash bags kept separately from our trash bags. The good news is that the tunnel leading to the pet shelter will also have a decontamination room. I explained the allergies to cat dander and the vendor says they can build a separate room off the decontamination room to hold the bags of cat poop. That way anyone visiting their cats can wash off before they re-enter the main shelter.

"My proposal is that we purchase the pet extension and tunnels, people can bring their pets but pet owners and only owners will be responsible for feeding and cleaning up the animal poop in the animal shelters and disposing of it."

Jerry paused, "What I don't know is how many pets we'll have. We have our two dogs and I know Aunt Cissy has 2 cats. John's kids have a hamster, unless that will bother you we were thinking maybe small caged animals like a hamster or guinea pig could stay in the shelter with us as long as the cages are mobile, and then they can be cleaned in the pet tunnel. And birds and fish could live in the shelter with us too."

The four of them looked at each other, agreeing to the pet shelter. Tim chuckled, "Yes, Neo can live in the pet shelter and our aquarium full of fish and the smaller one for the turtles can be in the main shelter. And Chirp, our parakeet. We'll have bedrooms so Chirp can live with Ellie and me. Let's see, besides Neo, Geordie's girlfriend Bec has a dog; the Carters have a dog, Ms. Lu has one and I'm sure there are others. Don't know about cats, I can't get anywhere near them. Ty's class has a guinea pig named Chico; he spent a weekend here and we were fine. And the Palmers have a hamster that stayed with us once, also no problems."

He continued, "Cats and dogs will have to have kennels or crates and each owner is responsible for bringing enough food and cat litter for them for six months. And we'll have to think about transporting them from Virginia but that's our problem, not yours!"

He paused, "So, luxury model, works for me! We'll need privacy, changes of scenery and room to sit, stand and move. Thanks for handling this Jerry; it's a huge load off! Let me know how much the generators cost and I'll send you or the vendor a wire transfer."

"Don't need to do that, Timothy. Not with you covering the shelter and installation. We'll cover the generators and figure it out later."

Tim looked at his wife and parents. "We'll need to bring the Ortizes in on this. Not to shelter with us but so they can decide what they want to do. If this place has shelters for 100, I'd hope they have one large enough for all of them. We never have figured out how many of them there are."

Barbara asked, "You think DC will be attacked or will it be more widespread?"

"The information we've deciphered has led me to believe it will be DC. And it is possible they, whoever 'they' is, will attack missile sites, NORAD and other military sites as well as the Pentagon and the government buildings in DC. I'm so thankful White Sands closed otherwise we'd be sitting ducks in New Mexico! If NORAD is hit, let me rephrase that, if 'they' attempt to hit NORAD, we'll have to shelter longer, but there's enough distance not to cause us lethal problems." He didn't mention the danger to the population within 200 miles of NORAD and the alternative site, Cheyenne Mountain.

Tim looked at Ellie and his parents and got nods. "All right Jerry, Barbara, we're in agreement here. Please go ahead and place the order for the extended shelter including the pet shelter, main shelter, tunnels, and installation; send a text when it's time to pay and I'll send the money straight to the vendor. Yes on the generators too. Now, what about the cost for the septic?"

Jerry told them the price for the equipment, the installation and again, the vote was unanimous to have it done.

Because the vendor was so willing, Jethro wanted to know if he or she was planning to move in with them.

Jerry sighed, "The rumors are flying, getting worse, Jethro. There were three other customers buying shelters while I was there. The owner says he's a realist and wants to help people protect themselves and their families. He's already got a shelter in place, a big one like ours."

Tim nodded, with the background check and the favorable reviews he'd found on the business while they were talking, that was enough for him. "Glad you found him, Jerry, thanks! Have you had time to price the dog poop composter? We'll have to get a count on number of dogs to know how many we need. Making a note to check.

"Ok next, Ellie and I have a weird sort of list we started last night. The first thing is books, as I said earlier and Dad, don't laugh at me, but we don't know what all this will do to our electronics or if we'll have access to the internet. We'll have a finite store of batteries I'd rather use for lanterns and grow lights than DVD players. Oh geez, we will need those; we'll need entertainment. Anyway, we need books and if anyone has DVD/VCR players, that would be good too. I know Dad has VHS tapes and Tony's DVD collection is extensive.

"Back to books, no internet, no online classes or search engines. I'm going old school here but if this thing is as bad as the files intimated, we'll need books of every kind. History of the world, of the U.S., geography, atlas, fiction, science books, how to books, encyclopedias, textbooks for kindergarten through college, anything we can find to bring. I still have a couple of boxes of books in Ducky's garage that I never had the heart to give away. Those will come."

His father was deep in thought, "We're going to need big trucks. Maybe semis but that requires a different license. That means rentals that we can turn in once we get there. How many drivers will we have?"

The rest of them shrugged, that was information they'd have to gather.

Tim added, "We need to prepare for a very long winter, this whole nuclear winter thing is confusing but figure we won't have a summer next year and maybe beyond that. The global temperatures may drop and we might have a little ice age. We can survive that with careful planning.

"Speaking of cold, we'll need a big freezer to store meat; Jerry suggested we buy it already processed and freeze it. And Ellie's tummy doesn't like this topic so we'll discuss later. Ok, the shelter comes with a water tank so we have water storage covered, just need to find enough water to keep it filled." He paused. "Furniture, clothes, anything else?"

Dad added, "Medical supplies. Jimmy knows enough veterinary medicine, dogs anyway, for basic problems but let's see if he has other ideas for bigger pet health concerns."

"Yes we need to bring our four doctors in on this as soon as possible so they can coordinate and start putting things together."

"Plants?"

Jerry spoke up, "We'll need grow lights and dirt. And the plants of course."

Shannon nodded, "We can get seedlings started now. Geordie's girlfriend is a botanist so we should be all right there."

"We'll need to set rules for the shelter."

"Yeah, maybe a council. We can talk about that as we prepare."

Tim rolled his shoulders, "All right, anything else for tonight?"

Barbara had a question, "Aren't there tanker trucks that deliver water? The ones I've seen are about the size of the trucks that deliver propane to residences."

"Brilliant! Will you look into it for us?"

"Sure. When are we going to tell the others?"

The six of them looked at each other; Shannon made the decision. "This weekend. We'll call an emergency family meeting."

Barbara nodded as she said, "That's what we'll do too; maybe we can have them at the same time, together, you know, on Skype. By the way, Eileen and Jazzy are both teachers. Jazzy teaches high school, several different subjects and Eileen teaches first, fifth and middle school classes."

Shannon smiled, "That's a relief! I'm also a teacher; I'm glad I won't be the only one and that we have varied experience!"

Tim and Ellie had been quietly discussing something and now Ellie said, "Mom's right, we should have one meeting for all of us, via Skype. Nick or Kenna can show you how to hook your laptop up to your TV and we'll do that here too."

Everyone agreed to that and a time was set.

After they disconnected Tim picked up the phone and his father asked, "Gonna call Steve?"

"Yes."

"I'll do it, son. No need for you two to carry everything yourselves."

Tim leaned in and kissed his father. "You are the best daddy!"

That got him a hair ruffle and he smiled. "What time is it?" He looked at his watch, "We can call Abby and the sibs tonight. Ducky, Grandpa and the Palmers will have to wait until morning."

Shannon smiled, "I'll call Abby otherwise she'll ask you a million questions. You call your sisters and brothers."

"Ok, so 1600 on Saturday - tomorrow."

"Yes, that gives them a day to get used to the idea before going to work on Monday."

"Good thinking!"

Splitting up the rest of the calls, they each retreated to a corner of the basement. In 10 minutes, Ellie and Tim were done but poor Shannon was still on the phone. With an eye roll, Ellie took the phone, "Abby, be here at 1600."

She clicked off and handed her mother-in-law's phone back to her. Tim smiled, "Learning how to cut off her rants and rambles is one of the hardest things to do. Keep in mind that she knows she rambles and is used to people cutting her off as Ellie did."

"She certainly is…"

Tim finished her sentence for her, "Interesting and full of love for all of us."

"Yes Timothy. So we don't use the term high maintenance?"

She giggled at the big eyes she got and laughed outright at Tim's warning, "Not when Dad's in the room!"

It felt so good to laugh; she determined to make sure they all did that, all of her kids. They were alive and planning to stay that way. This bunch, her family, was all survivors. Each of them had made the best of some horrible situations and gone on to thrive. She set a personal goal to keep her own spirits up and help the others.

When Jethro hung up, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Steve will tell his family and probably look for a shelter vendor closer than Tulsa. If he can't, then he'll fly up there and see the vendor himself and yes, he'll mention the Bishops and us. Geez, I knew there were a lot of them but he told me between siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, there are more than 120 of them."

"Wow! I thought we had a big family!"

"He's worried about his crew, too. They won't be able to afford pre-made shelters. Most people won't."

Tim's face went blank and they waited patiently. "There are specifications online to build your own shelter. Steve's guys know how to dig, make forms and pour concrete. I could do the wiring for them if they're going to use generators."

"Yes but you'd have to be there."

"Okay let's put that on the table for tomorrow; actually let me send Steve a link to one of the websites I found. It's old information but the basics are good." He quickly sent a text to Steve with the information. "I feel better about that anyway. The date we leave - that'll get us all going on our various tasks."

"Just make sure the shelter will be ready for us. Or do we need to move in right away?"

"I don't think so, although maybe spending a few nights will help us prepare." Tim frowned, "Ellie, do you know if I ever actually called Steve about the outbuildings? I remember you and I talked about it."

Dad chuckled, "I got that one and you are tired, Timiny! We spoke about it weeks ago before you contacted him. If you're worried about the money, it was already in the ranch account. You kids work too hard to have to keep working on your vacations. You hired Steve's company to make the outbuildings and the barn habitable. They've already finished eight of the outbuildings; they don't take long as they're using a standard format. They planned to start work on the others Monday but now he says he'll work on the barn first. May need to house more people once it's safe to move out from the shelters."

"Ok, good. Dad, I want to see if we can install a workable phone, yes a landline phone in the shelter." He waited patiently while his father let loose with a belly laugh that continued for two solid minutes. Finally, he wound down, "All right son. It's a good thing you're a Gibbs and have as much common sense as you do."

"He's half Fielding!"

"Of course."

Tim reflected he was half Gibbs, half Fielding but that really meant he was a quarter Baxter, a quarter Gibbs, a quarter Fielding and a quarter Lindal, the J-witch's maiden name. Along with Cahill, Stirling, and he thought there was a Rowe in there somewhere.

While the four of them did some more planning, Jethro and Shannon told their son and daughter-in-law they would reimburse the Gemcity account for the cost of the shelter, installation and septic. When Tim opened his mouth to argue, his father shook his head. "Timothy, do you remember the conversation about the cabin and where I got the money? Jenny Shepard left it to me because she had no family. We do have family and as your parents, we will pay for our children and grandchildren. And Mac of course. You've worked hard for your Gemcity money; I didn't do anything to earn the money left to me, except to invest it. Please let us do this."

Tim nodded and then he smiled, jumped up and kissed each of his parents, Ellie following him. "Thanks, Mom, Dad!"

His father shook his head, "Ducky will pay for the Mallard clan and I'm sure Leon will chip in as well as the Colonel, Fornell and some of the others."

Colonel Barnes was Maggie's dad, Tony's father-in-law. A retired Marine Corps officer and widower, he'd moved to Virginia to be closer to his daughter and son-in-law. The Colonel quickly became a part of the family, becoming friends with his contemporaries, Mac and Ducky.

As their last decision of the evening, father and son decided to contact Ziva to warn her and advise her of the move. After that, the older Gibbses walked down the street to their home. Tim thought he might need to carry his wife upstairs but she roused as he put his arms around her. "Sleep now, please?"

"Yes sweetheart. And sleep as late as you want tomorrow."

"'K, love you."

"Me too."

She sat on the bed and then just flopped back. He tucked her favorite pillow under her head, took her shoes off, unbuttoned her jeans and gently tugged them down her legs. She giggled, "Sleep Tim…tomorrow for fun."

Tim kissed her, "I can't wait, babe!"

He slid in next to her, pulling the covers up and was asleep before he had the pillow just right under his head.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Saturday, June 15th, 2019

Leaving Ellie to sleep Saturday morning, Tim was downstairs early and had coffee made before anyone else woke up. He called Jimmy to tell him about the meeting. Palmer thought for a second, "Should we bring the kids?"

"Of course! Dad's grilling chicken, anything else you want?"

"No. Oh, did you get those fresh strawberries?"

"Sorry no, those are currently not allowed in the house. Ellie wants to try frozen but not today."

"Ah yeah, pregnancy foods and no goes. Glad to be done with that!"

They disconnected and Tim picked up the phone to call Ducky when he got a text from his father. "Called Ducky, Mac and Tobias already. You gonna call Leon?"

He replied, "Right now" and then hit the call button for Leon, grimacing as he looked at his watch. Regardless of the early hour the phone was answered, his boss obviously awake. "Good morning."

"Morning Leon. Did you sleep at all last night?"

"Not really. I can't believe this is happening. Porter said you offered her a place in your shelter."

"Why I'm calling, one of the reasons. First, I wish I'd been able to tell you about any of this. Second, we're planning on you and your family joining us and we're having a planning meeting this afternoon, Dad's grilling."

"I don't…I'll say yes Timothy. I haven't really wrapped my head around the thing yet but yes, we'll shelter with your family, thank you. And I understand about the orders you were given, I've been through situations like that. Porter said you didn't tell her until yesterday. And yes, we'll be there for the meeting, what time and what can we bring?"

"1600 and the others don't know yet. Other than Dad grilling, I haven't thought about anything else to eat. Mm, if Lara and Kayla have time and feel like it, maybe one of their berry pies? Just not strawberry, Ellie's banned them from the house."

"She still good with chocolate?"

"Oh yeah."

"Maybe that would work better for her than berry pie. Palmers coming?"

"Yes and we have a dessert for Jimmy."

"That's going to be something we'll need to plan for."

"Absolutely. All right, baby's ready to get up, see you at 1600."

Leon shook his head as he disconnected. As crazy as this was, it was good to remember that little ones needed changing and feeding, that not everyone could eat chocolate or strawberries, everyday facets of people's lives. Lara wrapped her arms around him and he turned to her. "We're invited to a planning meeting and dinner at the Gibbses, 4:00."

"Are we bringing anything? I could make a pie."

"Tim and I were hoping you'd say that. Need to tell the kids this morning and take them with us."

She nodded, kissed him and headed off to get dressed.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Saturday morning, Jethro perched on a sawhorse in his basement, trying to pinpoint which of the many things wrong with the current situation was making his gut uneasy. Mentally checking off their most pressing needs didn't work and finally he considered each member of his family. Ruminating about each of his kids, he touched on each one, finally stopping to consider Tony and Senior.

A year ago, DiNozzo Senior married into an obscure, filthy rich European family and now moved between the family's homes on various continents, depending on his wife's whims and the weather. Tony and Maggie had occasionally mentioned visiting but Maggie told Shannon that Tony's latest stepmother looked down her snobby, patrician nose at both of them, making it very clear they were not to embarrass her by being anywhere near. Apparently, she didn't approve of people who served their country, which made Jethro's blood boil.

No, Tony wasn't the reason his gut was pinging. He'd be as shaken as the rest of them but give him some time and he'd handle it. As long as he had his family, their family, he'd be okay. That left Abby and Jethro let his head drop, letting his thoughts gel. When he realized what the problem was, he took a deep breath. He thought of calling Tim to tell him but decided to see how things played out first. One thing he'd learned, or relearned over the months since Shannon's reappearance in his life and that was to consult his wife.

He headed upstairs where she smiled at him as he walked into the living room. She'd been trying and failing to read a book; she hadn't turned a page in over an hour. "I know this sounds absurd, but you look worried."

She moved her legs so he could sit next to her on the sofa and explained his concern that Abby would be so upset this afternoon they wouldn't be able to deal with everything they needed to. She agreed with his plan asking if she could help. He shook his head with a smile, kissing her as he pulled his phone out of a pocket.

He listened as Abby's phone rang, relieved when she answered. "Good morning Gibbs. Aren't we seeing each other this afternoon? What's up?"

"Need to see you, Abs, tell you what's going on."

"I'm with Sister Rosita at the convent right now."

"Good, she should know too. Be there in about 20 minutes."

"All right." Abby was puzzled and concerned, especially when Gibbs said Sister Rosita needed to know. She told her friend and they put the front room to rights; they'd been giving the entire convent a thorough cleaning in anticipation of the annual visit of the head of the religious order.

When Gibbs arrived, he greeted both women, declining coffee, which set off more alarms with Abby. Sitting down with them, he explained the situation. Abby grabbed her friend's hand and the two women sat in shock after Gibbs finished. Finally taking a deep breath, Abby said, "Is this what the meeting this afternoon is about?"

"Yes, to tell everyone what's going on and the plans we've made so far. We have shelter for all of us Abby, including your brothers. Sister, that includes everyone here too."

Sister Rosita nodded at him, "Thank you Jethro, I do appreciate your family's thoughtfulness. We will leave as you suggest, but we'll go to our motherhouse in Vancouver, we'll be safe enough there. And we'll let our pastor know as well as our landlord and handyman."

"That's good, spread the word. Do you mean Vancouver, Canada?"

She smiled, "I sometimes forget about Vancouver, Washington. Yes, the city in Canada. Our order was founded there."

"All right; if you don't mind, Sister, will you share the phone number there with me? It should be a landline, a house phone not a cell phone. We have one at the house in New Mexico and we're hoping to have an extension or another line installed in the shelter. I know we'll feel better when we know you're safe."

"That's very considerate of you and yes, of course. I have it right here." She read it aloud, including the country code, to Gibbs who wrote it in his notebook. Then the two looked at Abby. She bit her lip, "I texted Kyle to come over. Gibbs, will you please tell him? He'll be here in a few minutes, he was out on a bike ride and isn't far from here."

"Sure, Abs."

"How come you decided to tell me now?"

"I'm ashamed to say that although we have the sisters, you and your brothers in the count for the shelter, I never thought about including them in the meeting this afternoon. Then I decided to let you know beforehand and if you thought they should be involved, we'd get them to the house." He mentally apologized even though it was a valid reason; he felt doubly bad for not thinking of including Kyle and the sisters although Tim did have them all in the count.

"Ok, thanks. Luca has a daughter too, she's 12."

"Her mother around?"

"They're separated; my niece lives with Luca most of the time. Her mother travels out of the country in her work. We'll talk with Luca; our best bet might be to go to wherever Jeannette, his ex, goes."

"You'll need to go soon then; remember the refugees in Europe a few years ago, how insanely crowded and chaotic it was. And Abby, I'll ask the same of you, that you let us know when you're somewhere safe."

"I will but I don't understand why you're using landlines."

"Tim says we may have problems accessing the internet afterward. And cell towers might be destroyed or unavailable too."

"Hadn't thought of that. It'll depend on - I don't even want to say it."

Sister Rosita said it for them, "The number of strikes and the blast range."

They nodded as someone knocked on the front door. Sister gestured to Abby to answer it and she returned to the room with Kyle who greeted them with a troubled nod. Once again, Gibbs explained and watched his reaction. He closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly. "I thought that was just the conspiracy freaks."

"Online?"

He nodded, "There's been talk on social media lately. But you know, people get their teeth into something on the internet and get crazy; I try to ignore it. You're saying this isn't just a rumor?"

"No, it's not but I can't say more than I've already told you."

"So it might be in the fall, might be earlier."

"Don't know. I told your sister that we have shelter and planned on your family joining us in New Mexico."

"Thanks. We'll have to talk it over, talk with Luca."

There wasn't much more to say and Gibbs was on his way in minutes feeling, if possible, even more upset and depressed. He'd been counting on everyone sticking together; they'd been a family for so long he sometimes forgot some of them had other family.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

When Shannon and Kelly returned from protective custody, there were a few bumps in the road, besides the problems between Tim and Shannon, while the family figured out how to include the two and how to reframe the family structure to include a mother, wife and another sister. From being led by grieving widower Boss Gibbs to happy husband Jethro, although he and Shannon had also needed some time to get to know each other again, to get used to their older selves with a lot of history and to work out some issues. Luckily, most of the family had already made the transition to Gibbs as doting father and grandfather and that made the rest easier and a change they were all very happy to make.

Except for Abby. She had more problems with Shannon and Kelly's return than the others did. Tyler gave them a clue. Ellie realized that Ty's confusion with the conversion of Shannon and Kelly from "Poppy's angels" to living breathing people might also be Abby's problem or close to it.

If all his lost ones were returned to Gibbs, why couldn't Abby's parents also return from the dead? It wasn't rational or logical but it was an emotional response from a still grieving daughter. Gibbs and Tim understood and extended their understanding and love to Abby and to Tony as well, knowing he still mourned his mother. Eventually Shannon also understood and the Gibbses held Abby and Tony close while they helped them work through it.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Back home after his visit to the convent, Gibbs found Shannon in their bedroom sorting clothes. They'd taken a ski vacation last winter and she thought the jackets and boots they'd purchased would serve them better than their regular winter coats. Remembering what he'd always heard about nuclear winter, Jethro persuaded her to leave it. They needed to hit the sports stores and get the clothing that could be worn in the coldest places on earth. She shook her head at him, "We're not going to wander around from store to store. We'll research first, as Tim does. Then we'll order and have everything shipped to the ranch."

They did that, first doing a little research on how much the temperatures were likely to drop. That was so frightening they closed the inquiry quickly, holding each other tightly. Jethro finally took a breath, "Tim said he tried to research bomb shelters online but it was so upsetting he only looked at two sites, an old one with a lot of information and the one with the premade shelters. That one got to him. When Jerry volunteered to look into it, he was glad to let it go. Now I understand what he meant."

She nodded. "This sounds strange but I'd like to know the layout of the beast. Are there separate rooms for beds or are we all lumped together or what? Is there a nursery for the little ones? Is it really all round? Are the bathrooms on one end and the kitchen on the other? How big is the common area and is there more than one? Where will the classroom be set up? What about a play area for the kids? How big is the grow room for the plants? Which reminds me - I bought a bunch of seed packets and those little peat pots weeks ago, intending them for our garden. I've already planted them – corn, zucchini, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and those beans you like. And there are more packets and more pots. We'll let them get plenty of sunshine here and then dig them up and take them with us."

Gibbs felt an almost hysterical laugh bubbling up, "Remember Jerry said we could install the interior walls, so I guess the bedrooms will be as big or small as we need them to be. Yeah, we have two babies and a third on the way, a nursery is a good idea. Might do dormitories for all the kids." He chuckled, "We'll dig up the apple tree and take it with us, plant it at the ranch. If we come back here we'll get another one."

"The tree Tim insisted on bringing from Albuquerque?"

He nodded and she smiled, patting his cheek. "It might be too big for the shelter, honey, it's probably too big to transport. We'll ask Jerry about ceiling height. We need to buy fresh fruit as we travel, as much as we find to purchase. We'll can it, make juice, freeze some."

He shook his head, "So many things to do, to remember."

"Yes; with the exception of living in what sounds like a concrete cave, we'll basically be returning to the way our great-grandparents lived on the farm."

He thought about it and then snorted, "With the addition of generators so we can have light, heat, power, and air circulation!"

She rolled her eyes, conceding the point. "Board games. We used to play board and card games."

"We did too. Ducky can teach us all how to play bridge."

"We'll need to have someone in charge of activities, for the different age groups."

"Making my head hurt, Shannie. You hungry? How about brunch out and see if there's an early movie we can catch?"

She smiled, "I like that idea!"

They sighed at the "For Sale" sign on the diner as they walked in although it was probably for the best. After 33 years, Elaine and her husband were selling out, retiring and heading west to Oregon, following their grown children who'd settled on the West Coast, one in Washington, one in Northern California. They'd decided to split the difference and live in between.

The couple sat in their usual booth and smiled as Elaine appeared with the coffeepot. She always had a smile on her face but today that smile threatened to split her face in half it was so wide.

"Hmm, you have news?"

"Yes, Gibbs, Shannon, we've sold the diner for the full price and in cash! I think they're flippers like you've been doing; who knows what they'll do here but it won't be our business anymore. We've already signed the papers and escrow closes this afternoon! We'll pay a little rent until we're ready to leave in two weeks. Before we do, we want to have you two, your kids, Fornell and the others here because we're going to have a huge party for our regulars!"

"Wow, that's wonderful for you, sad for us. Thirty-three years Elaine, that's a long time. How soon will you leave for Oregon?"

"Do you remember me telling you about that sweet little house my son found for us in Oregon, in Springfield?"

"Sure, the 2 bedroom with the office, fenced backyard with hot tub and garden? Springfield's about mid-state right?"

"Yes and yes. We decided to take a leap of faith; we put in an offer and it's been accepted! We were going to take out a mortgage but now with the cash we'll get from the diner we won't have to worry about that. We need to be there by July 16th to sign all the papers."

She was puzzled at the looks of relief on the faces in front of her. "Gibbs?"

"We're leaving too, all of us, the whole family and as many of our friends as possible; we have you two on our list. Expecting trouble here, bad trouble."

"When?"

"Hope not until fall but don't really know."

"Everyone's going? For how long, a week, a month?"

"We're moving everyone to a bomb shelter on our ranch in New Mexico and we have you two included but you'll be gone before we get out of here."

"Everyone?"

"All our kids, Mac, Ducky, Fornell and Emily, the Vance family, friends from work, and Tim's in-laws."

"But don't they live in, don't tell me - Oklahoma?"

"Yeah but they're joining us along with their other kids."

"Jethro, this sounds very frightening."

"It is, Elaine. Don't change your plans; get out while you can. And if you need anything, here's where we'll be, along with our phone number."

She wrote down the address, the directions and the phone number. "Should I be telling people to get out?"

"It's possible nothing will happen and we don't want to cause a panic but yes, I would."

"And is New Mexico the best distance or is that because you have the property there?"

"Both but mostly because we have the property there. Have no idea where we'd go otherwise. Nineteen hundred miles west and away from any military bases. Tim says to go at least as far as the western regions of Texas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Oklahoma and eastern Colorado."

She nodded, "Go west, as far as possible." She took a deep breath and pulled a flyer from her apron pocket. "Here's where we'll be. If any of you need anything, shelter or whatever, make your way to Oregon. We don't have a phone number yet but you have our cell numbers."

"Yes."

"One more question. Do you want our commercial appliances for your shelter? We were going to just leave them here; they weren't included in the sale. How many people will you have?"

"Between 70 and 80."

"Oh, you need to take them all then, with that crowd. Especially the dishwasher, it is commercial sized and the most water efficient machine made."

Shannon looked thoughtful, "We didn't plan on having a dishwasher but you're right, with that many people we'll have to have one."

Elaine nodded, "Not only for convenience and efficiency, but for health reasons. You need to make sure every dish, pot, pan and utensil is properly sterilized before using it again. Restaurant rules!"

"All right, how much are you asking?"

Elaine frowned, "I hope you're joking! We weren't taking the appliances with us, you can have them all."

"Thank you both, that's very generous of you!"

"Friends help friends and this is something we can do to help. Now, after all that, what would you like to eat today?"

They gave her their orders and she called it out to her husband, their cook. The Gibbses managed to enjoy their brunch and afterward found a "Mel Brooks" Film Festival running nearby. Then they had to decide between "High Anxiety" and "Young Frankenstein", ultimately going with the latter.

They were still laughing when they emerged from the theater nearly two hours later, Jethro growling as he imitated actor Peter Boyle as Frankenstein's monster singing "Putting on the Ritz". This had been just the break they needed and they agreed to offer babysitting so their son and daughter-in-law could also have a break. Stopping at the supermarket on the way home, they bought enough steak to feed everyone, rationalizing they'd be eating a lot of chicken and beans soon enough. After texting Tim to see if he needed anything, they also picked up salad fixings, disposable dishes and utensils.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Saturday, June 15th, 2019, continued

By 1545, almost everyone was gathered at Tim and Ellie's and the equipment was ready. The kids played in the basement playroom with the baby monitor and security camera standing in for an adult, although Tim and Jimmy moved their chairs adjacent to the open basement door. Lia was with Ellie and Breena held Ricky, the 6-month-old boy the Palmers were fostering. The teens were at the table with everyone else. Tim hadn't thought about it, but they had babies, 1 toddler, young school age kids, and then jumped to teens and young adults. Ducky and Abby weren't there yet and Tim hoped they were riding together. But Ducky came in alone and Tim took a deep breath, looking at his father.

Jethro stood up. "Everyone's here that we're expecting. Abby won't be joining us this evening. Before we get started, I'd like to update the Virginia crowd, sorry Bishops!" Having already told Jerry he'd need a few minutes, the Bishops muted their end of the call and waited for Jethro's signal.

Nodding to Jerry, Jethro continued, "Abby has decided not to join us in what we'll be talking about in a few minutes. We'd planned for her family, her brothers and her niece, as well as Sister Rosita and the others. I met with Abby, Kyle and Sister Rosita this morning; Luca's estranged wife has family in Belize and they'll go there. The nuns are already packing and will head to their headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia.

"Another note: the diner has sold; Shannon and I had lunch there today and told Elaine the news. They're moving to Oregon, will be there by July 16th and will let us know when they've arrived. They're donating their commercial kitchen appliances to us and with the number of people we'll have, Elaine says we need to follow restaurant rules and use a commercial dishwasher, which is part of what they're giving us. So that's 10 people who won't be joining us, we had an original count of 80 something."

Vance stood, "I have an update; Abby called me this afternoon to give notice. If we had an office in Belize, we'd move the lab there but we don't and no solid reason to open one. She said she'd be in contact with each of you; she and Kyle are planning to leave by the end of next week."

Tim had to tuck his lips in to keep from exclaiming aloud. Ellie sent him a sympathetic glance while the rest of the group were puzzled and uneasy, having no clear idea what was going on. At Jethro's signal, the Oklahomans rejoined the conversation.

"We're here and ready, Jethro."

Tim stood and walked to the front of the group, turning a little sideways so everyone could see and hear him better. "First, I have permission from the Secretary of the Navy to speak with all of you. Since this past March, I've been working at NSA as part of a highly classified task force at Secretary Porter's request. A few months ago, three encrypted files were intercepted by two U.S. federal agents on foreign soil and I was pulled in to help with the decryptions. As we broke the layers of encryption, we realized the files detail a planned attack against the U.S., specifically Washington, DC. We don't know who's behind this or if the target will be 'just' DC. Whatever the targets, the plans call for nuclear weapons.

"From the information we've uncovered, we think the attack will likely happen sometime between October and November but that is not 100% clear and we were not able to decipher the last part of the last file. However, the threat has been deemed credible. Until yesterday, I was prohibited from telling anyone including Secretary Porter; we've had to sign non-disclosure agreements, new ones for each encryption we broke.

"Thursday our team was dismissed, we're done although as I said we haven't yet deciphered the last of the third file. Once I updated the Secretary, she gave me the permission I needed to speak with Director Vance and all of you. I expect the Threat Level will go to the maximum soon and stay there. Today, Ellie, Jethro, Shannon, Jerry, Barbara, and I will tell you what we have planned for all of us plus a few other folks.

"In a nutshell, all of us need to be far away from DC by September 1st but we're going early, before the end of July, mid-month if we can swing it. Questions before we go over where and how we'll be living?"

Several hands went down but Tony's stayed up. "Has Ziva been told? Does this involve Israel at all?"

"I can't speak to Israel but Dad left a voice mail for her. We thought of calling her friend but neither of us has her number."

Tony nodded, "I do; I'll call her. She's met me so that might help."

"Thanks, Tony."

John asked, "Tim, do we Oklahomans need to take shelter?"

"Yes, because we don't know exactly what the strike zones will be. You should be safe in a shelter there, but communications and travel will likely be a problem afterward. Again, it depends on how widespread the strikes are."

Tony looked at Tim. "Will we ever see Abby or our homes again?"

Tim shrugged and then looked up, blinking tears away. "There's always the chance this won't happen. That we'll figure out who's behind this and stop it."

George asked, "Do you think there's any chance the files were allowed to be intercepted, that someone was sending a warning?"

Tim looked as sick as he felt about the information, "It isn't likely. The agents who intercepted the files were murdered in the process of obtaining them; however, one of them was able to get them to an ally. If it was intended as a warning, there would likely have only been one death not two. One death is a warning and the survivor would be allowed to live to convey the seriousness of the threat back to his or her superiors."

The civilians in the group were horrified at his words while the federal agents, medical examiners and Marines nodded, that rang true. There was silence until Jethro stood again.

"We know this is a huge shock; Jerry's suspected for weeks and known since Thursday, along with Ellie and me. Shannon and Barbara were told last night. Tim has known or strongly suspected since March and has been under orders, unable to say anything. The only advice I have for all of us is to remember we'll be safe and we'll be together. Probably closer than any of us really wants for several weeks but safe. We do have a lot of work ahead of us."

Ellie stood up, "Does anyone want a break before we continue?"

When no one spoke, Tim and the others continued. Still standing, Tim started it off, "Once I told Ellie, we then told our parents. They'll be joining us and John, Jazzy, George, and Eileen we're planning on all of you too. Because we believe time is of the essence in every decision we need to make, we've already started pulling things together. Jerry?"

At their ranch outside Tahlequah, Jerry stood, "Yesterday I visited a company that sells pre-made bomb shelters; last night, Ellie, Tim, Jethro and Shannon had a phone meeting with Barbara and me and we made a few decisions. There's plenty of space outside the back of the Albuquerque ranch house but we don't have the time to build one the size we need. There's a model that sleeps 100 people and we've purchased one. We'll go over funding later, that's going to be ongoing and there are other things needing attention.

"The shelter comes with a commercial sized kitchen, several toilet stalls, a water tank, a garden room and we can add on a separate shelter that will be attached to hold livestock, we're thinking chickens and possibly sheep, goats or pigs or just the chickens. Tim, we forgot that last night! Anyway, we'll be able to configure bedrooms once we get there, the interior walls are moveable and we'll be setting them up; I saw a demonstration. It's simple and we'll save time and money if we do the walls and furnish the place ourselves. We're also purchasing two new diesel generators and a third used one. Our intent is to run these on cooking oil and Tim's already started buying cases of that. Another decision we made was to add a separate septic system for the shelter and the shelter vendor will sub that out and supervise the installation. Lastly, we've also purchased a pet extension for dogs and cats and two tunnels, one to link our shelter to our pets and the second for extra room for the pets. I'm sure you have questions and we'll answer those in a bit.

"Our shelter is taken care of. The vendor will move it to the ranch, excavate and install it. They'll also get the generators in and the septic equipment will be installed so we'll have flush toilets. We hope to have several weeks in the house before we move into the shelter, that way we can get things organized.

"We have a huge list of items we need and things we need to do and we're pretty sure we don't have everything listed yet. Ellie and Tim categorized everything and made every family a copy." He waited as Barbara, Ellie and Shannon got copies to everyone.

Tony raised his hand. "Before we get into this, what about our jobs? Director, are we all quitting or taking a leave of absence or what?"

"I posed that question to Secretary Porter, DiNozzo, and haven't got an answer yet; I suspect the White House has someone working on it. What I'd like to do is transfer as many people as I can out of the target areas. If there is another federal agency near the ranch, I may be able to temporarily assign people to that agency. For instance, the FLETC location, they're not close but I might be able to "TAD" some of our staff to them, make some sort of deal. Another option is to put the entire DC operation and every office within 200 miles of a suspected target area on a mandatory leave of absence and when we're able to work again, we'll work from wherever we are. We'll be pretty well situated in Albuquerque to get anywhere in the country. In the meantime, we can take what paid leave we have; after that, our salaries and some of our benefits will cease if we've stopped working. Here's another idea - if we can work at the ranch or in the shelter, we're back in business. If that means that we save paperwork to our hard drives, print case files so we won't need internet access and work on those for weeks on end, so be it. It'll mean paychecks and benefits. I'll have HR get the information out about the benefits. Jethro, Ducky, if you fully retire before we leave, your retirement pay and retiree benefits will continue. Tobias, if our retirees get paid, so will the Bureau's."

Tony made a noise, "Paperwork beats no paycheck!"

Tim raised his voice a little, "If this happens, we'll have a place to stay and plenty of food to eat. And we'll have four physicians with us. If it doesn't happen, we come home and go back to work. There are notes on the handout about cash, your banking and cleaning out your safety deposit boxes. Please make sure to read them."

He sat down as his mother took the next bit. "We put our heads together for the things we need people to handle. We'd like teams of at least two people for each category and I'll go through them:

"Transportation, shelter, food, water, medical, safety, hygiene, clothing, equipment, financial, childcare, education, entertainment, health, pets and furniture. No answers now please.

"Transport will be a huge endeavor. Each of us will have suitcases, boxes and furniture to move. The proposal for those of us in the DC area is that we rent several trucks, each with a tow bar that will tow our vehicles, also packed full and we'll caravan to the ranch. We don't want to wait until we get there to buy the things we'll need; for one thing stores in Albuquerque may be out and the second reason is we don't want to cut the locals there short of the supplies they'll also need.

"It will be easier to bring our own beds and one or two other items of furniture; bringing our own reduced the price of the shelter. We'll need to figure out how many trucks to rent and how many drivers we have. Maybe the other way around. It's a long drive, too far to drive straight through. We're thinking possibly KOA camps so the vehicles can pull straight through like an RV. Jethro says they'll be easier to guard that way. Is everyone familiar with KOA? It's the abbreviation for Kampgrounds of America. They run private campgrounds in North America, close to 500 of them. If we use them then we won't have to plan our route around driving extra miles to camp at state or national parks or stay in expensive motels. Staying in KOAs will be less expensive and their camps are conveniently situated near major roads and tourist destinations. They have drive-through spaces for RVs, which we'll use for the trucks and trailers. We can pull in, rest and then drive forward when we leave, without having to back out or reverse the truck or car and trailer. They also have level sites for tents, restrooms with hot showers, picnic tables, Wi-Fi and many have a swimming pool.

"Moving on. Overall, shelter has been handled and since Jerry has been on it, we hope he'll stay with it although it'd be great to have more people work with him.

"Food is broken into procurement, growing, livestock, storage, cooking and garbage. Notes here, because of the scarcity of water, we'll all be drinking a lot more juice and other liquids that are either pre-made or don't need water. Think juice boxes. As far as livestock, as Jerry said we'll have chickens for eggs and slaughter. Cows are too big for the shelter and for us to feed. Our next natural milk option is goats –we're told they're far more adaptable and we can slaughter them if necessary. Pigs would be useful to eat what scraps we have but I personally don't think they're necessary. I believe the chickens and goats will handle our needs. And we might not even need them.

"Water will be precious. On the East Coast, we're used to abundant rain and not thinking about how much water we use. As New Mexico is subject to droughts and doesn't get much rain to start with, this is something that will be part of our lives while we're there. The water tank included with the shelter holds 10,000 gallons. Where we get the water to put in the tank and how we use it is up to us. But once it's gone, we're out and then we're dead or outside before it's safe. We'll have to figure out how many gallons we need per person per week or month and go from there. Barbara mentioned tank trucks that deliver water and is researching that. Barb, have you had any time yet?"

"Yes Shannon, thanks. Jerry and I did a little research online and figured that we'll need the full capacity of the water tank, 10,000 gallons. That's enough drinking water for 100 people for 10 weeks. We may not be in the shelter that long but we'll also need clean drinking water afterward. Those 10,000 gallons also include water for the dishwasher, toilets and laundry, but those are separate water issues. I found three companies in Albuquerque but I haven't had a chance to speak with them, to get quotes."

Tim had a big smile on his face, "Thanks Barb, that's wonderful news, really helps to know even that much!" He nodded to his mother who smiled at him before resuming her review of the Needs categories.

"We've broken medical into personal medications, future needs medications, over-the-counter medicines, supplements and vitamins, emergency supplies and equipment. I don't have much else to say about the category because we have four wonderful doctors who will be handling it. A note here, for those of us who are not NCIS, please get your medical records to one of the doctors and highlight any medications you take and any medical conditions and allergies you have. Our four physicians are Donald "Ducky" Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, Kelly and Rob Gibbs. Their contact information is on the information sheets."

"Safety and security. We've already purchased two hazmat suits, oxygen tanks and 2 radiation monitors, thank you Jerry, so we'll know when it's safe to move out of the shelter. And we'll all have to be trained in shelter and post-shelter safety. We'll also need security guards, gear for them and weapons I don't want to talk about. Tim also has a note about security cameras I'll let you read at your leisure.

"The Hygiene team will work with the doctors and our shelter coordinators. Tim also has a note on that. He's already ordered several cases of a product called NoAgua that is used instead of water and soap to bathe. No water is needed. Those are being shipped straight to the ranch. Having lived through a drought I'll say that unless you're running or heavily exercising, you don't need showers every day. For one thing, it's bad for your skin. Try every other day to get used to it. There are also dry shampoos.

"Clothing and footwear - we have this as a category because each of us needs to be prepared for what's commonly called "nuclear winter". Jethro and I did some research and have an idea of the possible temperatures, think of the coldest places on the planet: Barrow, Alaska and several places in Russia. We found a company online that offers the winter items we need and will give us a group discount; the link is on the handouts along with the code for the discount. Bring lace-ups, light and heavy socks and at least one pair of sturdy boots per person plus sandals.

"Also, we need to think ahead for clothing and footwear. While we adults don't necessarily change sizes, we'll have fourteen, soon to be 15 children of varying ages with us, they'll need diapers and clothes to grow into. And hand-me-downs are wonderful but clothing is sometimes damaged beyond repair. Hmm, I want to add a subcategory here: sewing. For any of us who know how to sew, knit or crochet - bring your equipment, patterns, supplies and all that extra fabric, thread and yarn you've been hoarding.

"Equipment currently consists of generators, air circulation pumps, freezers, refrigerators, dishwasher, portable heaters and fans, cooking appliances, small appliances, phone line and lighting. I'm sure there will be more. My electrician son Timothy will wire the shelter but there will be some restrictions on use of the generators. Cooking and running the air circulation pumps, great. Using precious fuel to charge a game, absolutely not! Having said that, we do want DVD players and TVs for entertainment. More on that later.

"Financial - we'll have to figure out how to share costs fairly. Mr. Gemcity paid for the shelter, the septic system plus transport and installation and that cost is just over $785,000. Jerry paid for the 3 generators, the hazmat suits and monitors. Other items have also been purchased or are on order so we'll need to figure this out and yes, we know this is going to be tough. Gibbs' kids, see your dad and me after the meeting.

"Tim added the financial category primarily because we all need to make sure we clean out our bank accounts before we leave. Check to see if your bank has a branch in Albuquerque, if it does, you can transfer to that branch. If it doesn't, consider moving to a bank that does and do the transfer. The two we came up with are Bank of America and Wells Fargo; I'm sure there are others. You can look online or call your bank.

"A word of caution, the transfer of funds from state to state, even within the same bank, takes several days, so hop on this as soon as possible. We'll need cash now and later. And I'm going to add bartering to this. If you own anything you think will hold its value such as precious metals or that has a practical use, think about bringing it along. We don't know what the state of the country's finances will be afterward. Tim has a note that he's going to change some of his US funds into Canadian currency as a safety net.

"Childcare. I hope this will be one of the easiest to organize. It will need to be split into nursery, toddler and young school age. Which leads us to education.

"I'm an educator as are Bec Childers, Eileen and Jazzy Bishop and Geordie Perry. Eileen teaches middle school as I did for over 20 years. Jazzy teaches high school and up to 2nd year college levels, depending on the subject while Eileen normally teaches K-5.

"Bec, we hope you'll help with botany classes as well as guiding us through the growing process and any other science classes. Geo, you're on for history and again, any other subject you know. Tim has volunteered to teach what math classes might be short of instructors and he'll lend a hand with science as needed. He and Sarah will also help with any English or writing classes as needed. Jethro speaks a few languages and I know Tony and Bob do too, we may draft you three and other multilingual residents to teach languages.

"What we need for classes are textbooks and all the things we teachers use in our classrooms. I have mine, all packed away so they'll be coming and I'm sure you other teachers will bring yours too. But we need texts and books in general! Kayla, Emily, Jared, we need to know what you're studying so we can prepare your college classes. Any class syllabus or anything like that will help; please contact your advisors and please tell them why we're leaving.

"Tim's made a list of many subjects, if you have others please add them. We're not sure we'll have internet capability afterward, not until everything settles down, and books will be a major resource. Which leads us to entertainment.

"Because we have generators that will run on cooking oil and we can grow the ingredients for cooking oil, we should have enough power for DVD and VHS players. We'll need multiple machines and multiple screens to watch and of course, as many DVDs and VHS tapes as we can bring. Also important are decks of cards, board games, chess, checkers, backgammon, cribbage. Games that two or more people can play and don't need electricity to be charged. Duplicate games are fine; with close to 100 of us, we can have several going at the same time. This category is nearly as important as food. Also, whoever takes this on will need to consider different levels of entertainment from the babies on up.

"Health is next and I put it after entertainment deliberately. We're going to have a separate room for a fitness center and every single one of us will be using it. Machines that don't use power are ideal: manual treadmills, stationary bikes, weights, anything that will help us stay active and fit. If you have yoga mats, bring them and if you know anything about yoga, teach the rest of us, please! We'll need exercise to stay healthy and keep ourselves from going stir-crazy. There won't be room for a running track or anything although we might be able to figure out a walking path around the interior of the shelter. I guess we'll see when we get there.

"Pets are next. The extension Jerry mentioned is a divided room with two entrances to the room. The section of the entrance tunnel closest to the pet shelter is also completely divided. So cats and dogs can be in the same extension. There are issues with both, mostly their poop but we believe we have a solution for the dogs and the cats will have to be handled the same way they are now, with litter boxes.

"We already know other species of pets will be joining us; John and Jazzy's kids have a hamster and my grandchildren have two aquariums and a parakeet. And, this is very important; we have members of the family who are extremely allergic to cats and dog hair. Your fur babies will live in their extension and not in the shelter, not even for a visit. And yes, our family has dogs, but our allergic members will visit wearing face masks, gloves and booties so they don't pick up the dander.

"Pet owners are responsible for bringing enough food and supplies, such as cat litter, for six months. We don't expect to be in the shelter that long but best to be prepared. One other thing, we ask that all dog and cat owners have their animals spayed or neutered. That will eliminate much of the fighting."

Before she continued, Jimmy raised his hand, "Treadmills will be great for the dogs too. They need exercise and those would do the trick. So whoever's looking into manual treadmills, add a few more in for the dogs. Depending on how many dogs we'll have. Cat trees, scratching posts, toys will be essential for cats. There are also exercise wheels for them, maybe cat owners can join together to bring a few of those."

"Thank you, Jimmy! All right, next category is furniture. As I said earlier, we think it's easier to bring our own beds and some furniture and we're saving money by doing so but no waterbeds! We need people to coordinate the rest of the furniture so that we don't bring 80 sofas, and 3 tables with four chairs. Jerry says we'll also have a 'sun' patio in the garden room, which means we'll need some patio furniture. The 'sunlight' will be modified grow lamps. I also have a note someone scribbled here that there will be 'sun lamps' in the pet shelter too. Huh, didn't think of that.

"Other issues to think about: how will the shelter be run, some sort of governing body, like a city council? That's something we can talk about as we prepare and see what works best. Maybe rotate governing responsibilities.

"Also, the outbuildings and barn at the ranch are being renovated for human occupation. When we don't have to live in the shelter, we won't all be crammed into one house. Thank Tim for that but the cost is not going into the group expenses; the money was already set aside in the ranch owners' account and the renovations were already on the ranch to do list; he moved it up by hiring a contractor. Another note on that, after we leave the shelter, cat and dog owners will live in the guesthouses, not the ranch house. We won't risk our kids' health.

"And lastly, vehicles. For those of you who have diesel, if you're willing Tim and I'm sure Jethro will lend a hand, will convert your fuel tank to run on cooking oil, either new or filtered used oil which can be purchased at several places around metro DC, there's a list of places on the back page. For those of you who don't have diesel and that includes Tim, consider turning your vehicle in for one that uses diesel; four wheel or All Wheel drive is highly recommended for desert New Mexico. Gasoline could very well be as precious a commodity as clean water later. And as I said, we can grow the ingredients for cooking oil.

"Now I'm done!" She laughed at the standing ovation, giving them a bow.

Ducky stood, "No question, I just want to thank Timothy, Eleanor, Barbara, Jerry, Shannon and Jethro for your hard work. As horrifying as this is, I'm impressed by your foresight."

Breena raised her hand, "Is there room for my Slater family?"

"Yes, we have your parents, sisters, their husbands and kids on the list."

She swallowed hard, "Thank you."

Bec raised her hand. "Would there be room for my aunt? She's single, a great cook and a scientist; my only family other than you all."

"Yes, Bec, of course. Where does she live?"

"In Roanoke. And she's 56 if you need to know her age."

"We don't but thanks."

Shannon smiled; it would be lovely to have another woman around her age. With Barbara, that would make three of them.

Tony was fighting a question and Gibbs gestured to him to ask. "Senior - do you know if he'll be safe in Europe?"

Tim shook his head, "Sorry, Tony, I don't have an answer for that, no idea. All I can say is that the files only mentioned the U.S."

DiNozzo muttered, "He'll sail through whatever happens; I know he will."

Tim looked at Mac, "Grandpa, there's room for Bernie and his son."

"Thank you, Timothy. His son lives in Wyoming and Bernie is staying with him through October. I'll write and tell him he needs to stay there."

Bob raised his hand. "My parents live in the Philippines but my sister lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She's 23, just out of college and starting out in her career. If she doesn't want to go to the Philippines, can she come with us?"

"Yes, of course. What's her name and Bec, what's your aunt's name?"

Bob gestured to Bec who said, "Mel, short for Melinda. Her last name is Blake."

Chalmers smiled, "And my sister's name is Haley Chalmers."

Geo raised his hand, "Timmo, what about Ms. Lou, Nate, Barry, Bill, Freddie and Jose?"

"They're in our count, Geo, although I doubt Nate will go."

When Juanita died the previous September, Nate moved into an assisted living facility, Big John went home to West Texas with his brother and the camp was closed. Most of the residents slept at the shelter, others left the area. The non-profit organization made sure those who chose to remain without shelter kept their sleeping bags and other items.

Sarah raised her hand, "Tim, if we don't take any of the shelter folks, can we give them bus fare to get to some place safe?"

"Brilliant idea, Sarah! Will you and Geo please coordinate that? And talk with Lu, Nate and the guys?"

Both agreed and Tim exhaled a sigh of relief. If anyone could convince Nate, it would be Sarah.

Breena raised her hand again, "Do your kids know? If not, have you thought about how you're going to tell them? And that goes for the Bishop kids too. And what about Lia?"

Tim shook his head, "Lia's adoption will be final any day now, if not, we'll leave our new address with CPS. We have not yet told our kids, we want to wait as long as possible. No idea how or what we're going to say. Except to emphasize that the whole family is going."

He looked around anxiously, "That's true, right?" One by one, his family, the Bishops and friends raised their hands and he sat back in his chair. "Good, thanks." He looked at Breena, "You're thinking about Ricky?"

She nodded, "We'll tell CPS we're moving to New Mexico and he's coming with us. We hope to adopt him; we'll at least get the paperwork in place before we leave."

While Tim was answering questions, Jethro and Tobias got the grill going and took the steak outside. Still reeling from the news, Tobias watched the grill while Jethro headed down into the basement to see if the kids wanted to play outside while he cooked. That sounded good to them and they ran through the dining room to the patio, never noticing the sudden silence.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Saturday - Sunday, June 16th, 2019

Before the others left, Jethro pulled Ducky aside to let him know the financial arrangements and the good doctor immediately said he'd pay his and the Palmers' shares. He added that Ed Slater would likely pay for the rest of the Slater family.

By 1930, the only ones left were the Gibbses and their partners. Their parents told them about paying for the family's share of shelter costs and smiled at the relieved faces.

While the conversation continued, Tim and Sarah took Lia upstairs to bed.

As they walked up the stairs, Sarah asked, "We're not coming back here, are we? I mean, we won't be able to."

Tim tilted his head in thought before saying, "It depends on how strong the attack is. Look online at the photos of Hiroshima today, it's beautiful; see when they were able to start rebuilding. And don't make the mistake I did, confusing the Chernobyl reactor accident with nuclear bombs. There's a big difference. Chernobyl happened in 1986 and tourists were only allowed near the plant in 2011. The scientists say it won't be safe for human habitation for 20,000 years. But it won't be anywhere near that bad here; we may be able to return in a few years."

Seeing the tears in her eyes, he wrapped one arm around her, holding his baby daughter in the other arm. "I know, Sweet Pea."

"I want to tell everyone I know to get out. Go west, south or north."

"And you should do that, I'm going to. Leon's putting out a memo to all area employees next week telling them to make arrangements to leave the area within the next month."

"Will any more come with us?"

"We could take a few more."

"You want young people in case we have to start civilization over."

Tim held back a chuckle; it was so easy to fall into the trap of graphic TV and movie images of a post-apocalyptic world and that was still a real danger, but he hoped not in this case. "We want to help whoever needs shelter. And we are not starting civilization over, Sari. With our country's population and geographically, this is a large country and most people will survive, as long as they're prepared and of course depending on the targets. And don't forget part of the U.S. is separated from the rest of us – Alaska and Hawaii.

"Obtaining the components needed for nuclear weapons, making and launching them is extremely expensive, whoever is doing this might not have the resources for more than one or two targets. In that case, there will be whole regions of the country that won't be directly affected. You know from your travels that there are millions of people living on other continents. Canada and Mexico will be there. And most of the U.S. will still be populated. It'll be different but we'll survive if we prepare properly. We need to prepare to be self-sustaining for several months with food and water. So that even when we're out of the shelter we have uncontaminated food and water to eat and drink. And security, we'll need to make sure what we have is secure. Not that we won't share."

Lia gave a warning cry; she wanted her bottle now!

"Come on, sit with Lia in the rocker, she'll make you feel better."

Sarah cuddled her niece, watching her dark eyes fade into sleep as she drank her bottle. "She's so soft and smells so good."

"Babies do smell good, until they throw up, fart, pee or poop all over you. That's not so good but such is life."

"Do you have photos of her birth parents, know anything about them? I know you and Ellie told us when you brought her home but I've forgotten."

"We do have photos of them but we don't know much. They emigrated from Chile before Lia was born, had jobs already lined up and both were well thought of, well liked at those jobs. We know what was on their personal records; there was an aunt who was their emergency contact, they lived with her; however, she was killed in the crash with them. And there's no family in Chile that anyone has been able to find."

"You'll take Sue and Deeny's things with you, their photos and everything?"

Tim nodded. "All our photos, Sari. Of us, of Patrick, Lily and your dad."

"I keep saying I'm going to have my DNA tested but never got around to it. Now I'm afraid to, they might live here."

"There's still time, it's even more important now. Call Abby and see if she has time to run it, tell her I'll pay for it. She can tie it back to our cold case. Or ask Leon to tie it back to our cold case."

She nudged him, "I have plenty of money, Timpa. More than Mr. Gemcity probably does after buying the shelter for us."

"Didn't wipe me out and remember our parents are reimbursing Gemcity for all of us kids. Dad thinks other people will pay for their families. It's still so cool to me that we have parents at all and that they want to take care of us like this!"

Sarah grinned, "Robbie and I have always had a parent; you and Geo were the ones who didn't. But yes, that is very cool!"

"So back to your finances. Do you have your money offshore?"

"Some of it, I do the same thing you do. Royalty checks go into our account and a percentage goes directly offshore. And yes, I invest it too."

Tim nodded as he gave kisses and hugs to his little one. Once Lia was tucked safely in her crib, the siblings walked downstairs and Sarah and Bob went home.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Sunday morning they slept late. Once the kids were up, Tim made bacon and pancakes, knowing the smell would eventually wake Ellie. When she didn't show, they started eating without her but she wandered down the stairs with a smile before they finished.

"Mm, bacon and pancakes, two of the best smells in the whole world."

Tim and Jethro were doing a Costco run this morning, taking Ellie and Dad's trucks. The trip would be a combination of weekly grocery shopping and continuing the bulk buying for the ranch. Along with Costco, Tim had placed several very large orders through Amazon Prime, to be delivered straight to the ranch. He'd also discovered he could order from a bulk grocery store in Albuquerque and have everything delivered to the ranch.

He'd had an IM chat with Steve Ortiz who offered to have someone go by the Gibbs' ranch a couple of times a week and either move the deliveries inside or cover them up. After checking with his cousin Roger, he e-mailed Tim later to tell him to have future deliveries sent to the Ortiz ranch. Everything would be safer there and the Gibbses could move everything when they arrived.

Once inside Costco, the men grabbed two carts, one for the weekly shopping and another much larger one for the bulk buying and then they got busy. Using the shopping list originally developed for the homeless camp, they bought cases of canned fruit, vegetables, beans, chicken, tuna, soups, spam, ham, corned beef and roast beef hash. They were careful to check expiration dates and were happy to find nearly everything in soft packaging, which would eventually help with the amount of trash in the shelter. They bought the largest sizes they could find. Another case of cooking oil, two pallets stacked high with cases of toilet paper and they split up, heading for the cashiers. One of the staff helped them guide the toilet paper pallets to the parking lot. When he noticed the two men were parked next to each other, he smiled, "You two look like you're getting ready for the end of the world. You survivalists or something?"

Tim shook his head, "Not in the sense you mean. But we are preparing to evacuate, to get away from here. There's bad trouble coming."

"Aw, you mean those rumors? They've gotta be just rumors, right?"

Jethro shook his head, "No, they're not. We're taking our family, about 60 of us and getting out."

"Wow! You - how do you know?"

"We're feds."

"Huh. I guess I'll pay more attention, get ready to go."

"You should do that and tell your friends and family. And don't wait! Thanks for your help."

The young man nodded as he headed toward the warehouse. It took the men almost as long to pack the trucks as it had to shop but they got it done in true Gibbs' fashion and headed home. They were storing the bulk items in their garages; there was room still for one vehicle in each garage and they pulled in to unload. That went faster than loading and they helped each other.

When they were done, Tim went inside to see what his family was doing. Ellie wanted more sleep, the kids and Mac wanted more swimming. Kelly spent Friday on the beach with him, stayed over and when they heard about the family meeting, brought him with her when she drove home yesterday. He'd stay a few days before Shannon or Jethro drove him home, likely taking the children with them for another day at the beach. Tim thought that right now they could all use a day at the beach.

Right now Grandpa was swimming with Ty and Brynie while Lia enjoyed the fresh air in her kiddie corral. Tim joined them in the backyard, researching diesel vehicles. He quickly found what he wanted and made a note of the dealership, the same one that sold him the Acura. He called and gave his name, confirming they had the 2017 diesel AWD 14 passenger van he needed. Whoever was on the phone was thrilled, they'd thought that van would be with them forever or they'd have to sell it downmarket. It was already 1330, they were open until 1800 and Tim wanted to get this done today.

The kids were out of the pool by 1430, Lia was down for her nap and Ellie was awake. After cleaning out the Acura, leaving Ty's car seat in, Tim asked his parents to watch the girls while he, Ellie, Grandpa, and Ty went to test-drive a diesel van. When they walked into the showroom at the dealership, one of the sales people did a double take. "I know you! You traded in a Porsche Boxster!"

Tim grinned, "Good memory, it's been a few years. And our family's increased, we have three kids, expecting our fourth and my grandfather's joined us. We need room for 5 adults and at least 4 kids and their stuff."

Ellie added, "And we want to go diesel."

"You must be the ones who called about the van. I'm Jack." He shook hands as he was introduced to each of them. "Mr. Fielding, Tyler, I'm glad you've come along to help decide on your ride."

They followed him out to the lot, Ty holding Grandpa's hand while Tim carried his car seat. Ellie laughed when she saw the van; it had a locked cargo container on the roof and a bike rack on the back. "We need those too!"

"That's good because they come with."

The van was a light green, a color they liked, with a charcoal interior. Jack suddenly chuckled "I remember you saying no light interiors because you had babies."

Tim ruffled Ty's hair, "And Tyler here was one of those babies."

Mac got in and moved to the third row of seats. "That wasn't bad getting in, Tim."

"That's good, Grandpa. Let's see how it is climbing out."

Ellie drove them off the lot with Tim riding shotgun. Driving on surface streets was fine; most of the post-winter road repairs had been completed. Everyone was comfortable so Ellie headed for the interstate. That was good too, the brakes handled well, the van moved easily but not too easily and Ellie reported the views were good; there weren't any more blind spots than in her truck or the Acura. They pulled off, swapping drivers and Tim took it back on the interstate. He liked the control, it felt steady and not like he had to hang on or fight the vehicle. They made sure to try all the buttons and everything worked fine. They hadn't thought to bring one of the kids' DVDs along but Ellie had one in her purse Tony insisted she and Tim watch. It wasn't a kids' film but they ran it through a movie promo and it did fine.

When they returned to the dealership, Mac stayed with Tyler, looking at cars while Tim and Ellie reviewed the van's history and negotiated the trade-in for the Acura and the price of the van. Offering to pay cash brought the price down nicely and they got the van for less than they'd been prepared to pay.

While they were in the office with Jack, the door closed, Ellie and Tim exchanged looks and nodded. Tim cleared his throat, "Jack, this is the last time we'll be in for a car. We're moving to New Mexico in the next few weeks."

"New Mexico, beautiful place! I have family there. Whereabouts are you going?"

"We have a ranch outside Albuquerque and we're moving the entire extended family. Nearly 60 of us."

Jack looked puzzled, "60? That's a lot of people."

"There'll be more than that; Ellie's family is joining us too. We'll have pretty close to 80."

"On one ranch?" He looked at the paperwork, still up on the screen, and then at Tim. "You both work for the Federal Government."

Tim nodded.

"And you're taking…are the rumors true? Are you evacuating?"

They nodded and Jack took a deep breath. "I was in the Army for a few years so I'm not - how bad?"

"If it happens, it'll be nuclear."

"Holy smokes! When are you leaving?"

"Before the end of July. Mid-July if we can get everything together."

"That soon?"

"Might be October or November but no one really knows and we're not willing to risk anyone."

"Do we need a shelter?"

"We're installing one. How many people would you have?"

"My wife, two kids, my sister, her wife and baby. But my sister-in-law has family in Mexico, we all have passports, I'd rather go to her family, we know them all."

"That'd be good. But don't delay! And take warm clothes for winter."

"For Mexico? Oh, nuclear, yeah. Thank you so much for telling me. I want to tell the others here. And my family in New Mexico, they'll need a shelter too."

"Good! The threat level will be raised to the highest level any day. No reason not to tell them. Go as far west as the western parts of Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska or the Dakotas. Watch for prevailing winds. If they're blowing east to west, go south or north, as far south as Miami or Tampa. Mid Florida might be ok but if you're going you might as well be as safe as possible. As far north as Ashland Maine."

Tim paused before adding, "I'll give you the same disclaimer I gave my family, there's a possibility it might not happen."

"But you know more."

"I can only say we're leaving, all of us."

"Got it. Wow, this is, we'll need cash and - all right, I know you need to get going."

"Don't delay, Jack, get out while there are flights to catch and the roads aren't full of panicked people."

He nodded mutely. The van paid for, the paperwork done, the three of them walked onto the sales floor, heading toward the vehicles. Ellie quietly said to the salesman, "Don't plan on relying on the internet or any internet seeking device. We're not sure they'll work After."

"Good thing I still have my Army gear then. Thanks, Mrs. Gibbs. Godspeed."

"And to you."

They waved goodbye to the Acura as they climbed in the van, buckled up and drove off the lot. Tim thought of the Buick he'd driven in Albuquerque and the people he'd sold it to, the mover and his wife, the Wares. He still had their phone number somewhere. Mr. Ware should stay home, off the road, for a few months. That led him to thinking about the moving van. They'd probably need at least two but that would be so much easier.

"Ellie, what if we…" Realizing their son was in the car with them he snapped his mouth shut and when she looked at him, he tilted his head toward the back seat.

Back home, Tyler joined Brynie in the playroom while Lia still snoozed. Ellie had a snack, Grandpa watched a baseball game and Tim went to work, preparing a spreadsheet for each family or individual to fill in and return to him. He didn't send it yet, needing to review a few things first. As his mother remarked, apparently he was handling transportation. He sat down with Ellie and his parents to run something by them, Mac listening in while he continued to watch his game.

"It's just an idea; don't know how it'll play out. We were talking about rental trucks because we were trying to keep things quiet. But we could need as many as ten or more of those things. If you saw ten U Haul trucks towing cars and trucks jammed full, what would you think?"

His mother answered, "A cult movement? Reenacting pioneer days with modern vehicles? A lot of people heading west to avoid what's coming?"

"Yes. They would cost a lot of money plus we'd have to load and unload and then drive them somewhere in or around Albuquerque to return. When we came home from New Mexico, Homeland Security paid for an independent mover, Mr. Ware, to bring our belongings home. And he not only handled our move, he and his wife bought the Buick I had there. Hope he'll remember us. I was going to send him a text to warn him to stay home but maybe hiring moving vans is a better idea than a fleet of rental trucks for us."

Mom nodded, "I like that! It would save a lot of driving for us and it might be less expensive. Oh, I guess it wouldn't, we'll still need to drive our vehicles."

"But that won't be so bad and we can make better time. What do you think of flying all the children, at least one parent each, Grandpa, Ducky, the Colonel, and another one of the doctors to the ranch before we leave?"

Dad nodded, "I think that's smart. Rule 44; hide the women and children. And yes, Shannie, I know that sounds sexist but you can't fault us for protecting a pregnant woman and the mothers of other children not to mention our grandchildren and elders. And it has saved lives."

Her eyes sparkling, she ruffled his hair, "You're right."

Mac looked over from his game, "With my back problems, I can't help with driving or sit that long. But I don't mind flying if I'm not alone. I'd rather go straight to the ranch and help get things organized."

Tim thought about the drive, "It's a 30 hour drive, too far to drive straight through. How many vehicles would we have?"

They counted a minimum of 32 and Tim shook his head. "That's too many. We have at most 20 drivers; everyone else is flying."

"So the people without kids take one vehicle each?"

"That's 22 vehicles. Unless the Vances and the Slaters each give up one." Tim thought for a moment, "Rob's car isn't going to make it as far as New Mexico. That's 21. Need to shave one more. OR we can see how much it would cost to have two of the vehicles put on the trucks."

Dad was thinking about the drive, the ranch, the shelter and how much needed to be done. "We'll need people at the other end to get things organized. What about the Vances flying too? With Jerry and Barbara, Leon, Lara, and Breena there, everything would be shipshape by the time the rest of us get there."

"Good idea, I'll run it by Leon on Monday."

"Then we can load their vehicles onto the trailers towed by the movers."

Tim bit back a smile, "Could we have the Slaters' car shipped too and send Ed via the plane?"

Yesterday Ducky had quietly relayed another Ed incident, one that showed the man's persistent and flagrant disrespect of Jimmy. Tim, Tony, and the others had been ready to pound Palmer's father-in-law and were glad they hadn't invited the senior Slaters to the meeting.

"Or via a swift kick in the rear!"

Shannon's eyes widened, "Timothy, Jethro!"

"Don't scold us until you meet him, Mom. I told Ellie we need to buy a muzzle for him and fence him into his own dark corner of the shelter. Or maybe he could live with the Ortizes."

Dad shook his head, "They're our friends, son; why would you want to do that to them? Maybe in the pet shelter?"

"My heavens, you two!"

"We're not exaggerating, Shan. The man has no respect for Jimmy and never lets him forget it. It's almost unbearable to be around him."

She looked at Ellie and they grinned at each other. "Leave it to the Gibbs and Bishop women; we'll tame him."

Tim made a noise. "Thank you! Back to the vehicles, how do we justify letting people with kids have two vehicles?"

"If one vehicle is somewhere else, another one needs to be handy for kid emergencies."

But Tim had another idea. "We have 12 more vehicles than drivers and with the Vances flying that's 16 as Kayla and Jared have their own cars now. How many vehicles have tow hitches or tow bars, whatever they're called?"

"We know your vehicles and our truck do."

"That's good, cuts the excess number down to 12. Hopefully several will have them and we can put the rest on the moving trucks we haven't arranged for yet."

Dad stopped to think, "You know, those trailers I've seen towed by moving vans might be able to hold more than one vehicle."

Tim sighed, "I think I'm going to explain the situation and ask for volunteers to just take one vehicle or no vehicle. We're going to need the pickups though, not leaving those behind. Mom, have you heard from anyone about what they want to work on?"

"A couple but I haven't checked in a few hours. Let's look." She tapped her tablet, opening her e-mail. "Ooh a lot of decisions have been made. Let's see, Barry and Bob want to work on transportation. Can you use them?"

"I sure can and once we're at the ranch we can move on to other things."

"All right I'll let them know. Sarah and Geo talked with the boys, Lu and Nate."

"Yes?"

"All four of the boys are going, who's the fourth one? Oh Bill, don't know him very well. Anyway, Lu is also going, Nate's thinking about it. Lu says she's not taking a car. That's one down! All right, let's see, no one else for transportation, Timson."

Tim grinned, relieved that Lu and the guys were going, Nate was at least thinking about it and his mother called him one of the nicknames invented by his dad. He'd never be blasé about that! It was more than two years since she and Kelly had reappeared; it had taken them a few months to get through their problems but now he couldn't imagine life without his mom. He flat-out loved having a mother, having parents. As he'd told Barbara, he was the luckiest guy on the planet with his loves.

He marked the car count down one and then sent a quick e-mail to Barry and Bob letting them know what he'd done so far and what his ideas were.

With his mother's help, he updated the spreadsheet, adding three more questions and then carefully wording the e-mail. Rather than skirt around the issue, he put it bluntly, explaining that the plan was for several people including everyone under 18 and over 70 to fly to New Mexico to get things set up there. And that doing so would mean they'd have more vehicles than they would have drivers on this end.

He had Ellie look at it before he sent it out and the pair decided to add a couple of notes about pets. One was that no snakes or tarantulas/poisonous spiders would be allowed. The second was that all dogs and cats and other small mammals should be neutered or spayed before the move to Albuquerque. They pointed out the dangers of fights over animals in heat and the lack of a qualified veterinarian among them. Jimmy could handle some things and they would take animal medical supplies but pet owners would have to step up and be responsible for them. While the Transportation Team would arrange for transportation of the canine and feline pets (and if anyone had any ideas, please let one of them know!), individual owners were responsible for their share of the cost. Once they were satisfied with the information, Tim sent the e-mail.

Then he called Mr. Ware, glad to find the trucker remembered him. He told him they were moving back to New Mexico, their entire extended family, which numbered just shy of 60. Along with personal items, they had commercial appliances and they were all bringing their beds along with other furniture and some appliances. Mr. Ware listened carefully, finally saying, "Is it true then, the rumors that are going around?"

"I don't know if it'll happen but yes there is very likely serious trouble ahead."

"I remember you were involved with Homeland Security."

"I still work for NCIS and did some work for NSA too."

"Geez! And you're moving here."

"I believe the attack will be on Washington DC; if that's the case, New Mexico should be far enough south and west."

"Far enough - do you mean a blast range? My God, that's nuclear! You think it will be a nuclear attack?"

"Yes, unfortunately I do. We were going to rent a bunch of trucks but I thought of you; actually I was going to call you and advise you to stay home for a few months or only go west, but then I realized moving vans are a much better way to go for us."

"One more question and then I'll try to concentrate on business. Will you be living in a house or a shelter?"

"My family bought a ranch out on Quail Hill Road, next to the Ortiz place and it has a large house but we'll be living in a shelter when the time comes. We have room for you and your wife."

"Thank you! Our kids are farther west. Our son splits his time between Tokyo and Los Angeles and our daughter is in Washington State."

"I believe those are good places to be."

"We might go for an extended visit but we'll talk it over. Ok, so parts of 60 households. Are you all bringing appliances?"

"We'll figure out how many we need, bring the best ones although some folks may bring theirs to store for afterward. If this happens, we can't come home. Figure maybe 6-8 ovens, refrigerators and freezers and one set of commercial appliances, no commercial freezer but refrigerator, dishwasher and oven. We'll have many beds, including a couple of cribs. As far as the beds and furniture, I've just sent a spreadsheet out to everyone that will give us a lot more specifics.

"All of the children and at least one parent each, all of our over-70 members and a few other people will be flying in, the rest of us will be driving our vehicles but we'll be short of drivers. That was one of the questions on the spreadsheets, about the number of vehicles going. So we may need to add a vehicle or two into one of the vans. Or onto trailers if you have those."

"Wow, this is massive! And yes, I have a trailer. When are you planning to leave?"

"We don't have a firm date yet but we're looking at the week of July 14th."

"Huh, I have a move to North Carolina that week; I could swing up to Alexandria afterward. We'll need more movers and trucks though. Let's do this, I'll schedule my truck for that time and when you have your numbers together, let me know and we'll figure out how many trucks we need. I'm assuming we're not picking up from one location?"

"Correct. Although for the younger adults who probably won't be taking much, we can try to get them in one place."

"That will help. Will you be bringing any supplies?"

"Oh geez, thank you! Yes, we're making bulk purchases and storing them here and at my dad's and we still live on the same street where you moved us three years ago. My idea is to purchase as much here as possible, don't want to get to Albuquerque and find the stores are wiped out nor do we want to buy everything and leave bare shelves there." Tim paused, "I have a question for you. Any idea how to transport dogs and cats? We're going to have several of each."

"Yeah, I can see they'd have to come with you. Some of the group is going to drive which gives you a couple of options, for the dogs anyway. They can ride along with the individual drivers although they'll need to stop every few hours stop for potty breaks. Theoretically, cats can be transported in private vehicles too, in travel kennels, but that's a long trip and they'd have to have a secured place for their litter boxes in the vehicles and be able to move around when we stop. I've seen it done but it's difficult and I would not recommend cats and dogs in the same vehicles!

"Your second option is to contact a Pet Transport Company and have all them transported at once; they'll work with you on the details. I have a couple I've worked with over the years; I'll text their contact info to you."

"Thanks, that's a relief to know that! One more thing, my wife's family will be joining us from eastern Oklahoma; they may be calling you for a local reference. There are 15 of them."

"Eastern -Tulsa?"

"Tahlequah and their name is Bishop."

"Okay, good to know, thanks. All right, I'll make some inquires as to who'd be available in Virginia and wait to hear back with your numbers."

"Thanks, talk with you soon."

"Oh boy, yeah."

They disconnected and Tim exhaled loudly. He looked around; Ty and Brynie were outside with their mother, baby sister and grandparents. He should get out there and enjoy the sunshine and relaxation while he could. Resolved, he quickly changed and joined the others.

He relaxed for a little while and then made another list of people he needed to contact. He wrote down the names of his attorney, the family attorney he'd planned to see for the kids' custody, D'Arcy McKinna at CPS, his doctor, Ellie's OBGYN, the kids' pediatrician, although that was mostly Kelly and Rob, his eye doctor, dentist, Lyndi Crenshaw, his literary agent and several other people. They all needed to be told about the threat.

Knowing people needed time to prepare, Tim decided to tell everyone he met. He knew the government was working to identify the would-be attackers and stop them and he understood that no one wanted a panicked populace. However, he still felt the need to let people know and get as many folks out of danger before an announcement had to be made. He hoped other members of the Decryption team were doing the same thing.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the topic of this story can be a bit scary, please remember it's fiction. As I'm the biggest wimp/scaredy cat I know, I wrote it to my standards so it shouldn't be too intense. And yes, there are a lot of preparations because once they leave, that's it and they believe they have the time. 
> 
> A big shout out to Alix33, my beta, for her remarkable work in very short time frames. Thank you!

Chapter 7

Monday, June 17th, 2019

It felt good to be 100% NCIS on Monday, even though Tim was still uncomfortable with the Decryption team being disbanded. Mid-morning he was called to Vance's office for a secured conversation with the director and Secretary Porter. She told them the threat level would be raised by the end of the week but that nothing else would be said at this point. She nodded when she heard both men had told several people outside their families. "As have I. When are you planning on leaving?"

"It's not set in stone yet, but we're aiming for the week of July 14th, less than a month from today."

"All right, Megan and I will leave that week too. Leon, when will you tell the agency?"

"My current plan is to wait until the threat level is raised but I'm starting to feel that I shouldn't wait. I'll offer to move any of our eastern agents to western or international offices or allow them to work remotely as long as the internet is available or they have work to do. That means all our employees so Tim and his crew and anyone else can continue to collect pay and have benefits at least until the cow patties hit the fan."

He smiled at the other two as they chuckled. "I'm practicing being a Southwesterner."

Vance opened his mouth to continue but Tim beat him to it, turning to include Leon and the Secretary.

"Director, Dad and I have been talking about everything that needs doing at the ranch and in the shelter while the drivers are on the way. We'd like your family to fly to Albuquerque with several others and take charge of getting things organized; we'll get your vehicles to you." He grinned, "Between you, Lara, Breena Palmer and my in-laws, we figure it'll all be done by the time we roll in with the trucks."

Leon smiled, "I'll talk with Lara about it but I know she's not looking forward to a cross-country road trip so my answer is 'yes' pending her approval."

As Tim started toward the double doors after the meeting, Leon patted him on the back. "Thanks for all your hard work."

"Not leaving anyone behind, Leon, not on my watch."

"You're a warrior, Timothy Gibbs. A warrior with a good heart."

Tim grinned, "Thanks Leon, that's one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me. Tell you the truth, it was Dad's idea."

"That's all right; acorn hasn't fallen far from the tree."

Tim's grin grew even wider at that.

He ate lunch with Ellie, Jimmy, Abby, and Ducky. Ellie was now on desk duty working on cases. The rest of DiNozzo's team was out interviewing witnesses.

Abby told them about the long discussion she'd had with Kyle and Luca. "I wanted us to go with you guys but Luca doesn't want to separate my niece from her mother. And then Jeannette got in on it and the next thing I know we're going to Belize. I'm a little excited about going but I hate the reason. And we are going to see each other again. Might be a few months, but we will."

She spoke with conviction and none of them wanted to dispute that. Even Ducky, usually the voice of reason and/or devil's advocate, was silent. Tim realized they all needed that, needed hope. Yes, they'd be safe but when could they reunite with Abby and their other friends who would be scattered around the country, even the world?

He cleared his throat, "The threat level will be increased by the end of the week and Leon will let everyone know the plan."

"You mean our plan?"

"No, well maybe his part but no; he's going to tell everyone to get out of the area, to go west, south or north and work from wherever they are. That way, our pay and benefits will continue until the shit hits the fan."

Abby made a face. "Darn it, that's another two weeks of salary I could have had."

Tim grinned at her, "What makes you think he's processed your resignation?"

"Oh, OH! Thank you!"

She swallowed her last bite, kissed each of them and flew out the door to the elevator. She wrote Tim that afternoon, saying Vance grinned when she walked into his office. She also said he was still looking for a spot for her lab so she could continue to work as long as the internet was available. She added that Sarah had called her yesterday to ask about her DNA, Vance had authorized it and it was running now, would be done in an hour.

Tim nodded, relieved to hear the news. If there were McGee or Hubbard relatives in the endangered areas, they'd offer them sanctuary. With a shelter rated for 100 and their census currently at 63, they had plenty of room. He looked at his personal e-mail before he left the office and was happy to see most of the spreadsheets had been returned. He'd work on them tonight; the sooner they got this lined up, then he stopped, remembering Barry and Bob were on the Transportation Team. He quickly wrote them an e-mail, attaching the completed spreadsheets and a copy of the master. Time for some number crunching!

Bob sent a message saying he'd be at the office for a while; they had a lead on their most recent homicide. Barry wrote saying he was all excited and should he just stick with the vehicle count or work on other things? Tim chuckled and wrote him back, splitting most of the number crunching between them.

The kids were at their grandparents; he picked up dinner for all of them, letting Mom know and receiving a big smiley face in reply. Sitting on the back deck eating dinner with his family felt good, except his wife wasn't there. When they heard a car door slam shut out front, he gestured he'd go see who it was, hoping it was Ellie.

It was Sarah, waving a bunch of papers at him. "I can't look at these without you!"

"Your DNA results?"

"Yes! Abby faxed them to me. But I'm serious; we need to look at these together. For 36 years, you believed you were a McGee, for 9 years you were a McGee. And you'll always be my brother so yes we are going to review these together. What are you doing at Mom and Dad's?"

"Kids and Grandpa are here, Ellie is working late so I brought dinner and we're on the back deck. C'mon, we can all look at it."

She followed him, saying hello to everyone. "Hey, sorry to interrupt but I need my big brother. Abby ran my DNA and these" she waved the papers, "are the results."

Sitting down on a bench next to Tim, she pulled out the first page. Lily died before DNA was collected and she wasn't listed; they'd expected that. Her maternal grandmother showed as someone named Maisie McNeil Hubbard and she had a son, Sarah's uncle, named James Stirling Hubbard, a captain in the Navy. He was married to a woman named Claire Craddock Hubbard and Sarah had two cousins named Ainsley and Callum.

"Wow! I've got a grandmother, uncle, aunt and cousins, awesome!"

"Next page, Sarah."

"Oh yeah." She flipped to the next page and found her paternal page. Her father's name was blank as he also died before DNA was registered but up above the blank spot was a grandmother, listed as Penelope Langston McGee, still alive. There weren't any other listings on the page but as Tim pointed out, that could just mean they'd never had their DNA entered into the national databases.

While the others finished their meal, Sarah used her phone to search for her relatives. She found the Hubbards and her McGee grandmother and frowned, the Hubbards lived near Annapolis in Maryland and Penelope McGee lived in Arlington, VA. She opened her mouth to say something before remembering Ty and Brynie didn't know yet and she didn't want to explain why she was suddenly looking up long lost relatives.

While she waited for her family to be done with their meal, she went for a walk, too antsy to sit still. As she was returning, her mother poked her head out the front door, "There you are. Come on, we want to know what you found!"

The kids were playing in the yard while her parents, brother and baby niece were still on the deck. She sat next to Tim again as she told them. "I found my uncle and grandmother; they live near Annapolis. Grandma McGee is known as Penelope Langston and she has a lot of stuff going on. She travels around the world to teach but she also has a house in Arlington."

"Wonderful, sweetheart! Are you going to call them?"

"Um, yes, hoping Tim will do it with me. They might not know what happened."

Her mother was startled. "They'd better not know what happened!"

"I thought they might believe he's adopted."

"Oh, good point. No jumping to conclusions."

Sarah grinned, "That's rule either 3 or 8. I think 8."

Her father grinned back at her and looking at Tim said they'd watch the kids until bedtime if he wanted to go make calls with Sarah.

Tim nodded, telling the kids what he was doing before he and Sarah walked down the sidewalk.

He had his laptop out, looking at spreadsheet responses while Sarah, her phone on speaker, called the Hubbards.

A man answered, "Hello?"

"Hello, is this Captain James Hubbard?"

"It is; who's calling?"

"My name is Sarah; it used to be Sarah McGee but I'm Sarah Gibbs now, my adopted father's name. My original parents were Dan and Lily McGee and I had two older brothers Tim and Patrick. I just got my…"

The man interrupted her, "Sar…what? How is that possible? Is this a joke or a scam of some kind?"

"No Sir. Please, I know this is out of the blue but I just got my DNA results today and it says you're my uncle and your children are my cousins."

"Then it's wrong; my niece Sarah died in a car crash when she was three years old."

"I wasn't in the car, I was on a play date. Dad, Patrick and Tim were in the car. Dad and Patrick were killed in the explosion and fire. Tim was thrown out from the back seat and hurt very badly but he survived. He's sitting here next to me."

"Oh my God. If this is true, it's incredible!"

"Do you have Skype? We could get on that so you can see us."

"Yes, I do and that's a good idea."

Within minutes, they were ringing him on Skype. A middle-aged man, somewhere in age between Tony and Dad stared at them. "You look like baby Sarah, same coloring as Dan. And Tim? Let me see you?"

Tim moved closer to Sarah. He hadn't expected to feel much, they weren't his relatives and he had no memories of them, but his emotions were stirred up.

"Oh my heavens it has to be you two! Timothy, you look just like you did as a kid, only grown-up of course."

As he spoke, the front door flew open and Tyler and Brynie ran in, Ellie behind them with Lia in her stroller. "Daddy, Aunty Sarah, we're home!"

Ty and Brynie ran over to him and leaned in. Captain Hubbard's eyes widened. "Your children? Your son is the spitting image of you at that age. About 6? And your daughter too!"

Tyler blushed as he realized Daddy and Aunt Sarah were on a chat with someone. "I'm sorry, Daddy."

"It's all right, Ty. This is Captain Hubbard. Captain, this is my son Tyler, my daughter Bryn, and my wife Ellie holding baby Lia."

"Happy to meet all of you! We believe I'm Sarah and Timothy's uncle!"

"Yay another uncle!" Ty and Brynie did their happy dance while Lia clapped her hands, squealing.

"Is it ok if we call you Uncle Jim or is it James?" Sarah was visibly nervous.

"Jim, please! James means I'm in trouble with my wife or mother, your grandmother."

"All right, Uncle Jim. Could we meet with you? I'd like you to meet my fiancé but he's at work - Ellie, did Bob leave work too?"

"Yes, Tony dismissed us for the night."

"I'll call him."

Ellie chuckled, "Sari, he already called to see if you were here."

"Ok well sorry Uncle Jim, I'm kind of confusing everything right now. Anyway, is there someplace we could meet?"

"Where are you?"

Tim smiled, "That would be helpful! Ellie and I live in Alexandria, Sarah and Bob live in Georgetown."

"You're in the area, wonderful! But I do see it'd be a long drive up here after work."

Tim decided more details would be a good thing, "Ellie, Sarah's fiancé Bob and I work for NCIS aboard the Navy Yard. Sarah works from wherever she wants, she's a writer." He paused and looked at his sister, who nodded at him; whatever idea he had was fine with her. Smiling back at the Captain, he continued, "It might be better this first time, until we're all sure of who we are, to meet someplace neutral. A restaurant? Maybe halfway between here and uh, where?"

Sarah whispered "Annapolis."

"Ok, Alexandria and Annapolis."

"I have some ideas."

"That's fine Sir, you pick and we'll be there. Sarah and I will be there, Bob and Ellie can't guarantee anything if they land a case."

He looked at Ellie, who nodded. "I'll do my best but as Tim says no promises from me. And we're working an active case already."

"Sir, the kids will be with us. We have family nearby but they took care of them today and I don't want to take advantage."

"That's fine, wonderful! I think it would be better for my wife and me to meet you, and then we'll tell our kids and your grandmother."

"That's a good idea. We'll bring photos. What restaurant did you have in mind?"

"It's a diner actually, thought it would be easier for the children. It's in Silver Spring…"

Ellie started laughing while Sarah and Tim's faces lit up. "Is it called 'Diner the Great'?"

"Yes, you've heard of it?"

"We lived in Silver Spring for several years and the diner was our home away from home. Do you mind if we eat early? It's easier with the baby."

"No, no, that's fine. What time works?"

"Say 1700?"

"Yes, that's fine." Captain Hubbard noticed Sarah making a face at her brother. "Is something wrong?"

Ellie grinned, "She's a civilian, has to translate military time. It's 5 PM Sari."

"Thanks Ellie. Yes Uncle Jim, that's fine!"

Ellie looked thoughtful, "If Bob and I can get there I'll ride over with him."

Tim and Sarah nodded, "Good idea."

They disconnected and sat there looking at each other. Sarah's eyes were wide open. "I feel like we're cheating on Rob and Geo."

"So do I; let's invite them."

Tim called Rob while Sarah called Geo and beamed at each other when both agreed to come.

Sarah stayed long enough to read stories to her nieces and nephew and to hear first Ty and then Brynie read one to her. Once the kids were all in bed and Sarah left, Tim pulled Ellie into his lap. "Hi wife."

"Hi husband." They kissed and things were heating up when Ellie's phone rang. They pulled apart with a groan, Ellie saying, "It's DiNozzo."

Tim nodded as she answered, "Bishop."

"Abby broke the case! We got the warrants and we're ready to roll. I know you're not going but could you work from home so we have a contact?"

"Of course! Let me grab my laptop, hang on Tim's getting it."

Sitting at the table, she logged on and got busy while Tim got comfortable in the recliner with his laptop. His mother forwarded all the work group responses to him and he smiled as he read them.

Tony wanted to work in Food and Entertainment, Maggie wanted Hygiene and Education; she proposed physical fitness and sports classes. Colonel Barnes, DiNozzo's father-in-law, was already collecting books and said he could help with Shelter and Equipment.

Tobias wanted Food, Security and Equipment. Emily wasn't sure if she was supposed to pick anything but selected Shelter and Hygiene.

Leon was Security, Safety and Education, also suggesting physical fitness saying he could teach boxing and would provide the equipment.

Lara wanted Childcare, Food and Clothing, with a note that she had once been a seamstress. She also added a suggestion to teach music and art and said she could do either or both.

Kayla wanted Food, Equipment and Clothing, saying she knew how to knit and crochet and added in Furniture.

Jared wanted Entertainment and Pets, saying he didn't know what else he wanted yet. Maybe Shelter; his dad said they would be the first ones there and he could help with that.

Rob and Kelly had sent theirs in, both saying they were Medical; Kelly also wanted Education while Rob added Hygiene and Furniture.

Tim read the others, amused and excited by everyone's choices. Then he opened the e-mail from Barry with his completed spreadsheet. There was a note from Bob apologizing for having to go back to work, which Tim found funny and endearing.

From the start, Agent Chalmers fit right into the work family. When he and Sarah started dating, Tim reflected this was the first guy in Sarah's dating history that he actually liked. The family held their breaths, figuratively speaking, and Sarah being Sarah there was drama but the two clearly loved each other. When she said yes to Bob's proposal the whole family celebrated.

Barry's spreadsheet looked good and Tim updated it with the information he'd received during the evening. It looked like they'd be fine with vehicles. Rob was selling his old Mustang and Freddie wrote that he and Jose would sell their cars; they'd keep the company truck and share it.

He was surprised to see a note from Ed Slater saying he and his wife Ginny would sell their cars and use one of the kids' until they could buy another one in New Mexico or wherever they ended up. Colonel Barnes wrote that he hadn't driven his car in months, wouldn't be taking it and Maggie said they'd only need one car; she'd sell hers too. Tony wrote that they were turning all three cars in for a Mercedes SUV All Wheel Drive that ran on diesel and that Tim could convert it as long as he promised his car would never smell like French fries.

That took care of the vehicle problem, they had enough drivers and riders and no vehicles would need to go on the moving vans. Besides the Gibbs' new van and Tony's Mercedes, four other vehicles were diesel, as well as the pickups, and their owners said they'd love to have them converted to using bio fuel.

The 'Pets' column had 4 dogs, 3 cats, 1 parrot and 2 fish along with his family's dog, water creatures and parakeet. Tim smiled at the fish knowing those were Tony's Kate and Ziva. He'd learned that goldfish live longer in a tank with filtered, clean water than in the typical fishbowl. 'The girls' now had their own tank and lived quite happily. Tim nodded, it was a little thing but those fish were part of home for Tony. Which reminded him to google information about transporting fish and birds.

There were numbers on the bed column and the furniture column but Tim was too tired to handle them tonight. He'd tackle it tomorrow or ask Bill to do it. He was a latecomer to the Transportation team but he had the time to help. The original resident of Geordie's tent at the homeless camp, he'd finished school, gotten a job and moved into an apartment with several other young men by the time Tim and the kids moved over from the shelter. He worked in construction; in the summer, he started work at first light so he could finish before the heat reached its peak. That meant he frequently had afternoons and early evenings free.

Thinking of time after work reminded Tim that tomorrow night he'd be accompanying Sarah to meet her uncle, telling him what happened. He felt it was going to be a gut wrenching experience but hoped there'd be time to talk about the current situation. Or maybe the first meeting wouldn't be right although they didn't have a whole lot of time to wait.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Tuesday, June 18th, 2019

Since the meeting on Saturday, Tim had been thinking about his staff. Overnight his brain apparently came to a decision as he woke up knowing what he needed to do.

Once in his office that morning, he began looking for positions for them in the other CCUs. There was a unit in San Diego and although it wasn't official, when the manager left and they couldn't find anyone who suited, Tim stepped in to run it. It wasn't a lot of extra work. The previous manager did a great job but now he thought about how many of his staff he could transfer there.

Space wise they could squeeze in at least ten, more if they got creative with the workstations. Lydia Worden was the SSAIC there, they'd worked together on a number of projects and cases and he believed she'd be amenable to the extra bodies. He'd still be the de facto manager, as long as possible. He made a note that his Second in Command, Dallas Smits, should go there. He could manage if circumstances prevented Tim from doing so. Realizing that if Dallas could handle things in his absence he was ready to take on the management position, Tim decided to promote him to the San Diego spot.

There was another unit in Seattle; he knew the manager and the SSAIC fairly well but both women would need to hear about the threat level and Vance's announcement first. Still, he figured between the two offices, NCIS could move at least 20 of his folks to safety.

Wondering, he pulled up a map of Texas and there sat Galveston with a small NCIS suboffice. That was far enough away, he could move another 3 there. Five more to Seattle, 2 to Great Lakes. That would take care of them all. He quickly wrote Leon a note outlining his plan and then waited. And waited.

Finally, he had a phone call from his boss. "We can do this, although I changed the numbers and locations. I ran it by SecNav because transferring 30 people takes a lot of money and I don't know how many have families. But the budget is out the window anyway. I spoke with Melankovic in Seattle, she's agreed to house 15 more bodies and your counterpart Camarillo has agreed to increase her staff by 15. Worden will house 10 in San Diego and yes, if you want to promote Smits to manager I'm all for it.

"Two of your techs can work in Galveston, any more than that and they'd have to work from their vehicles. Three to Great Lakes and those three will probably have to shelter longer than we will in Albuquerque. I told them there are problems they'll hear about later in the week. Galveston's heard the rumors and their team of four wants to help. You want to go ahead and tell your people?"

"Yes and thanks, Leon."

"I'm feeling the pull too, Tim. I'd like to have a place for everyone to go by the end of the week but that's tough and we're not going to be able to transfer everyone."

"Then how would you feel if we start downloading case files onto thumb drives? I'm sure Legal will want you to have custody of them but that way those who aren't transferred can keep working, at least field agents can. And my guys will have our cold case files to work on while they're in shelter. Unless the attack is more widespread than the files suggest, San Diego and Seattle shouldn't need to shelter."

"Yes, that's a good idea. Case files for the field and cyber cold cases for your techs. And copies of every single form that might be needed."

"I have those on thumb drives from my cross-check software development. Although we should do a run through to grab any updates."

"Great, if you'll get those to me, I'll have someone go through and update them."

"I can do it tonight, Leon. I'll write the code this afternoon to look for updates and new forms and run it tonight."

"As long as it doesn't take more than an hour, you need your family time!"

Agreeing, Tim disconnected and then walked out of his office. Quietly he said, "Need everyone's attention. Come on up around me, we have some things to talk about."

Looking puzzled, worried, and annoyed with the interruption, his staff gathered around him. He took a breath. "I've been working on a special project since March. I was assigned to an NSA task force working to decrypt files intercepted by the agency. This isn't in the media yet but I know there are plenty of rumors floating around. My father-in-law asked me about them back in April. If you haven't heard them, the rumor is that there will be an attack on the United States. I'm sorry to tell you there is such a plan; it's in the files we decrypted.

"Unfortunately, while we know there will be an attack, we don't know by whom, when or where specifically although we believe it will be DC. Late last week the task force was dismissed. I updated Secretary Porter who then gave me permission to tell Director Vance and my family. Here's what we believe will happen, sometime between September and November, although the time frame is unclear, there will be a nuclear attack on at least Washington D.C. While the government is taking all precautions and our international agencies and allies are working with us to determine who and when, we don't know how successful they'll be. Two U.S. agents were murdered in the process of intercepting these files; it's no hoax and there's no evidence pointing to whoever's responsible."

He paused for breath before continuing. "I'm not willing to risk my family or anyone else. I've spent some time figuring out how to get all of you to safety and Director Vance has authorized my plan. There are 30 of you and we have 30 spots for you away from the East Coast, out of danger. NCIS will transfer you to your new offices so there'll be no money out of pocket. There's always something but about 98% is covered. This is happening this week. Vance is also looking for spots to send everyone else that works in the region. You're going to San Diego, Galveston, Seattle or Great Lakes. If you have a preference let me know immediately but we need to move fast."

"A word of caution, the Great Lakes/Chicago area will probably shelter for a few months as they're so far east. For that reason, we're only sending 3 of you there. Make sure you find a concrete shelter or basement that can be completely sealed with enough water, fresh, filtered air, air circulation, sanitation, and food supplies for at least six months, seven would be better.

"I'll send you the links we're using to plan. My family and I are leaving the week of July 14th; we're going to the ranch in New Mexico. I'd like to stay in touch but I'm afraid that's going to be difficult After. We'll be living in a bomb shelter for a couple of months at least.

"Now, call home, let whoever know. If you have significant others, they go with you. Parents, kids, spouses, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, best friends, neighbors, get everyone as far west, north or south as you can, take them with you, at least warn them, spread the word. At least five hundred miles, a thousand would be better. Our ranch is 1900 miles west of DC and as I said, we anticipate we'll be sheltering for at least two months, possibly three. Tell people not to wait, to go now, get themselves to safety before panic sets in. Take the warmest clothes you have to prepare for 'nuclear winter'. From the research we've done, think Alaska at its coldest with no respite – or Siberia. I'll include a link to the outfitter we're using for ordering winter clothes. Clear out your bank accounts here, take cash. If your bank does business in whatever state you're going to, talk to them about transferring your account there and have it done immediately. And still take cash with you as interstate transfers take close to a week. Also, take anything that you might be able to barter with later. And I have no idea how our electronics will fare in a nuclear attack so don't plan to rely on them. Take advantage of everything on the transfer package." He sighed, "This is not a drill."

Some of them stood there with their mouths open and he clapped his hands sharply. "Move, people! This is not a drill!"

That did it. He motioned Dallas into his office and told him he was promoting him to manager for the San Diego CCU.

"I know you can do it, you've done great here when I've been away and some of the same people will be with you."

The younger man swallowed and then nodded resolutely. "I can do it, Boss, and we'll make you proud!"

Tim smiled, "I know you will, Dallas. I'm always proud of you and our team. On Thursday I'll send out an e-mail with your new position and include SSAIC Worden, Camarillo in Seattle, Hays in Great Lakes, the other CCU managers and of course Director Vance. I'd rather our team hears the news from me if you can keep this to yourself until Thursday?"

Dallas nodded. He was shaken by the news and although he knew he'd just been handed a promotion, he was too rattled by the possible attack to think about it. Tim breathed a sigh of relief as his SIC, now the newly minted Manager of the San Diego Cyber Crime unit, returned to his workstation.

Turning to his laptop, he found e-mails from his staff stating a preferred destination of the four offered. He was glad two of them were from the Chicago area or had friends there and a third, close friends with the other two, asked to join them.

Within minutes, destinations were assigned and Tim handed out an abbreviated copy of his notes about what to expect 'After'. Then HR started calling them and he relaxed. He had his staff taken care of. He'd intended to ask Tony about Evan, Rick, and Jim but they'd all been too busy to talk.

Rick Carter called him about an hour later. "Tim, what's going on? Ellie said I should call you but they were on the run. Not Ellie of course but she's swamped. And Leon's clearly distracted."

"You heard the rumors floating around about a nuclear attack?"

"Yeah but rumors, you know."

"This one's true and we're getting out, like you and Denise and anyone else you want to come with us. I've just transferred my entire staff to offices far enough west of the expected blast zone to be safe."

"Oh my God! How? What?"

"Let me tell you what we're doing and then we can talk about the threat. We have a bomb shelter that will hold our entire family plus some being installed this week on the ranch outside Albuquerque. We're leaving the week of July 14th. Ellie, Palmer's family, all the children, Ducky, Maggie's dad, my grandfather and the Vances will be flying out ahead of time to get things organized while the rest of us drive our vehicles. And Ellie's folks, her brothers and their families are driving down from Oklahoma."

"I know you're serious but it sounds like…"

"One of those 'End of the World' TV movies?"

"Yes, exactly."

"I hope this isn't a case of life imitating art, but it's a credible threat. The threat level will be maxed by the end of the week and Leon plans to let people know then. But I got anxious, I have 30 staff here and I want to get them out in front of the crowd. And us too."

"All right, I need to talk to Denise, but count us in. More details to follow?"

"Absolutely and welcome! And you have a dog, don't you? We have space for everyone's pets. I'm going to let my mother know and she'll send you all the stuff we've pulled together. Tips, notes, what we're going to do there, etc."

"Yes, we have a dog and thank you for that information; don't know what we'd do otherwise! All right and you're going to talk with Jim? His brother lives in California; he might decide to go there."

"Then he needs to let Leon know so he can work out a transfer for him. Rick, you'll need to let your team know and Jim his and everyone else's. I don't know how long anyone's going to sit on this. And there's bound to be mass chaos when the news breaks."

"You're right. I'll be in touch."

Tim disconnected, promptly called Jim O'Brien and told him. Jim was quiet and then said, "I'll go to my brother in California, Tim, thank you though. I'll tell my team and get them moving." Tim told him about Leon's determination to have NCIS continue functioning in the rest of the world and he said he'd call the director right away.

By the end of the day, Tim was relieved to hear that Leon had found spots for all of the Intel analysts, the Cold Case team and several other agents. Eight people, a mixture of Intel analysts and field agents would be TAD to overseas' offices. O'Brien and Carter's teams were split apart but the agents would be transferred out of the region and right now, that was what mattered. HR was going crazy getting everyone up to speed on the transfer packages. Leon told Tim that he'd spoken with every office, large and small, east of Texas while he had ADs Craig and Ferrer calling offices west of New Mexico to determine space availability. And he hadn't made the announcement yet.

In the meantime, Tim needed to pick up the kids. Ellie confirmed that she and Bob would meet them at the diner later. With help from Abby, they'd officially broken the case and were starting their reports. DiNozzo wanted them to finish at least the preliminary ones before they left for the night.

Tim was annoyed by that as Ellie worked until midnight the night before. She was already exhausted and in his opinion needed more rest. Then he shook his head; Eleanor Bishop was no shrinking violet, she'd let her boss know when she'd had enough. For all he knew, the others had stayed all night. And he'd promised both Ellie and Tony that he wouldn't interfere. But damn it that was his child she was growing inside her and he wanted them both healthy.

Knowing he also needed rest and wasn't going to get much anytime soon, he retrieved his children from day care, settling the kids into their seats before taking off for Silver Spring. On the way, he told Ty, Brynie, and Lia about the new uncle and aunt they were going to meet. Tyler frowned, "Are Poppy and Nonny going?"

"Not tonight, no, they're taking care of Neo tonight. You might not remember this but when you first came to live with me, I didn't know Poppy was my dad."

"You didn't?"

"No, he was my boss like Uncle Tony is your mom's boss."

"Oh. Did you call him Poppy or Daddy?"

"No. Uncle Tony, your mom, Uncle Bob and I called him 'Boss'."

Ty and Brynie giggled before Ty continued, "That's funny, Daddy! But how come you didn't know?"

"Remember the bad lady with the mean eyes?"

"Yes."

"When I was a little tiny baby she stole me from my mother, your Nonny."

"Wow! But Nonny found you."

"Yes, she did, almost three years ago. But when I was a kid, growing up as you are, I didn't know about Poppy and Nonny. I thought my father was someone named Dan McGee. And I had a little brother named Patrick and a baby sister named Sarah."

"Our Sarah?"

"Yes our Sarah."

"Patrick's one of your angels, Daddy."

"Yes he is, Brynie; the mean lady killed him and the man I thought was my father."

"Oh no!"

"When I was growing up from a tiny baby, I thought my last name was McGee."

"McGee. Daddy, did that used to be Uncle Rob's name? Before we went to our lake?"

"Yes and Aunty Sarah too."

"I remember that!"

"That's excellent, kiddo! When I found out I was Poppy's son, I changed our name to Gibbs because that's who we are."

"Yes, we're GIBBS!"

"But Uncle Jim doesn't know all this. He thought I was a McGee. And he thought Sarah and I were dead."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I am, Tyler Dean. I'm going to tell him tonight."

"Daddy, how come you didn't know his name? Were you too little and forgot?"

"No Brynie. I hurt my head and a lot of my memories went away."

"Ouch, Daddy! That was sad."

"Yes, sweetie, it was. But I'm all right now and I have all of you!"

"And your angels and now Uncle Jim."

"That's right."

Lia babbled at him and he said, "Lia, will you say that again, please?"

"Ouchie!"

"I'm all better now, Lialove, thank you."

They pulled into the parking lot at the diner and Tim tucked Lia into his arms, diaper bag over one shoulder while Tyler and Brynie held onto his fingers and wrist. He laughed to himself, remembering little Sarah and Rob hanging on like this while he handled their cases. They were crossing the parking lot when Ty said, "Aunty Sarah's here, Daddy."

They stopped and waited for her; she took Lia from him. "Mm, there's that baby smell again." Ty and Brynie giggled while they walked.

As they walked in, their friend Nancy spotted them. "Tim, Sarah, welcome home! It's been awhile, where have you been? And look how much the kids have grown!"

Hugging her, they explained they were meeting people for dinner. They spotted Captain Hubbard right away; he was standing next to a large booth with a pretty lady, tears running down his face as he watched them. Nancy brought a high chair for the baby while Sarah, Tim, Tyler, Brynie, and Lia met Uncle Jim and Aunt Claire. Tim was impressed when Tyler introduced himself as Tyler Dean, leaving off his last name. Brynie followed her brother's lead and he beamed at them.

They sat down while Sarah explained that Bob and Ellie would be here in a few minutes but they should go ahead and order. Tim smiled when he saw the Captain was having a hard time with his emotions. He reached out, "It's a lot to take in all at once."

"Can you tell us what happened? Why we were told all three of you were uh…"

Tyler spoke up, "That's okay, Uncle Jim; we know about the bad lady with the mean eyes. My daddy and Poppy arrested her when Brynie and I were still little. She's all locked up."

Actually, she was dead, killed by her last employer in the exercise yard at Gitmo but they'd never told the kids.

"Huh?"

Tim kissed his son, "Thank you, Ty. Now we'll tell Uncle Jim and Aunt Claire the whole story."

"Ok Daddy."

Brynie patted him on the arm and Lia babbled something that might have been Daddy ok now.

He smiled at his sister and looked at the Hubbards. "Dad picked us up at school that day and…" he told them the story of the hit and run, his hospital stay and being picked up by Natalie and Sarah in a taxi and taken to a different house.

"We were there for about a month after that. I got walking casts on my legs and a few days later, she said we were going to Baltimore on the bus. And that was how she cleverly abandoned us. From the timeline the FBI put together, she disappeared very soon after that bus left San Francisco."

Captain Hubbard took a deep breath, obviously fighting his emotions. "She told Mum and Dad that all three of you and Dan were dead. Dad had a stroke and Mum had her hands full. Penny and your grandfather McGee were told the same thing. And your godparents. We were out at sea, your uncle Dave and I. We were on a mission, no communications, we didn't hear for weeks."

"Uncle Jim, I had a lot of head trauma from the accident. When I woke from the coma, I knew my name, Sarah's, Patrick's, Dad's and Natalie, that's it. And I've never regained those memories. They tell me now it was brain damage."

"That's why you never contacted us?"

"Yes, that and a civilian buried all the letters we wrote the Navy. Until we looked at the DNA test results yesterday, we didn't know any names."

"Oh my God, you poor kids. All right, well now you know Claire, our kids' names, and me. Your grandmother, my mother, is Maisie; you called her Gram. Your grandfathers have both passed. Your father had a brother named Mark but he's also died. Penny, your McGee grandmother, is alive. She's something of a globetrotter but she always responds to calls from Mum so once we tell Mum, Penny will know. And your godparents, they were…are… godparents to all three of you. They're Dave and Liz Crane. He's my CO, Admiral Crane. Was my CO, we're both retired now."

"Wow, thanks, that fills in a lot of blanks. Uh, there's more to our story, but I'm going to let Sarah tell you."

She looked at him, "Baltimore?"

He nodded.

She told them about the camp and growing up on the street. She also told them about Geordie and Rob who were at that moment just walking in. Lia spotted them and squealed; they came right over. "We'd know that squeal anywhere."

"Uncle Jim, Aunt Claire, these are our brothers Geordie Perry and Rob Gibbs. Geo, Rob, Captain and Mrs. Hubbard."

Claire smiled at them, "Jim and Claire please or Uncle and Aunt."

Jim looked at Geordie, "I know a Marine when I see one."

"You're right although I've left active duty, in the reserves now. In the Corps I'm Major Perry but please call me Geordie or Geo."

They all shook hands and sat down. Claire looked at the new arrivals. "Neither of you use the name McGee?"

Rob looked at Tim who shook his head while Geordie explained about keeping his father's name.

Tim cleared his throat. "As a matter of fact, I don't use McGee either."

"Why not, son?"

"Uncle Jim, how old was I when you first met me?"

Jim blinked at the odd segue but answered without questioning it.

"Several months old. It was in Puerto Rico and you'd been in the NICU at Bethesda for a few months. Maybe five months."

Tim nodded. "Were you told that Lily and Dan were expecting a child?"

"No, it was a surprise to everyone. My mother didn't even know."

Tim nodded again and beside him, Brynie patted his arm again. He smiled at her, kissing her head, taking a deep breath before saying, "I was a surprise because I am not theirs."

" _What?_ "

"I was born in a maternity clinic near Harrisburg Pennsylvania. My mother was 17 and under the rigid control of her mother. The young man she loved, my father, was in the Marines and deployed, she'd never been able to get word to him that she was pregnant. I was 9 weeks early; she held me after my birth and named me Timothy. And then they sedated her. When she woke up she was told her baby died.

"In the meantime, her mother and one of the nurses, Svetlana Stacevyko, took me in a medical transport to Maryland where they handed me over to Dan and Lily McGee who handed Joann Fielding, my maternal grandmother, $50,000. We believe they were told there was no need for adoption. That they were told Fielding had legal custody and could legally give them the baby. There's no record anywhere of any adoption papers. But she did not have legal custody; in Pennsylvania at that time, 17 was the age of maturity.

"My grandmother kidnapped me, stole me from my mother, sold me like a puppy and then lied to her daughter about my dying. Selling a human being in this country is a federal crime and yes, she's now in prison. And you know the rest of the story until we landed in Baltimore, met Geordie and then Rob. We survived, made it out and thrived. Rob's a pediatrician, Sarah's a successful author and Geordie is transitioning from 12 years in SpecOps to civilian life and is a history professor at UVA. I'm also a successful author, husband, father, former field agent and current Manager of the Cyber Crimes unit at NCIS aboard the Navy Yard. We made it out."

"Four years ago, I was given custody of Tyler and Brynie when their first mothers became angels in heaven." He paused and saw that Claire understood. "At first I was their foster father and as part of their usual procedure Social Services had their DNA run. The results showed I'm their biological father, which wasn't a big surprise by then, I'd figured out how things had happened. The surprise was that the results showed no McGees in their heritage or mine. Instead, the name that showed was that of my boss, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. It was difficult at first; my mother never told him of their lost child. But we pieced together the story and that's when I became or resumed being Timothy Jackson Gibbs."

Sarah added, "Tim's dad adopted us so I'm Sarah Gibbs."

Claire looked at Tim, "What about your mother?"

"That's another long strange tale but to make it a little shorter, she and my dad married a few years after my birth and supposed death and had a baby girl named Kelly. When Kelly was 8, Dad was deployed to Kuwait for the first Gulf War. He was injured and while he was in a coma, Mom and Kelly were killed in a car crash. Dad recovered but left active duty and became an NCIS agent. He had his own team and that's where we met each other in 2003, as Agents Gibbs and McGee.

"In 2004, I became part of that team. Nearly three years ago, after we arrested Natalie McGee, real name Svetlana Stacevyko, two people were released from protective custody where they'd been for 25 years. My mother Shannon and sister Kelly."

"Oh my word, all those years! But now everyone is in place."

"Yes. Kelly is a pediatrician so Rob finally has someone in the family who understands what he's talking about."

Rob gave him a grin. "You pretended well."

"Thanks, Robbie!" He looked at the Hubbards, "That's our story, although it seems to be mostly mine."

Jim was quiet for a few minutes while he absorbed all the news. Claire chatted with them and smiled when Lia held out her arms to go to her. "Hello! I'm so glad you brought your children with you, Tim, they're lovely."

The rest of them talked and eventually Jim joined them. In the meantime, they ordered their food and one of their favorite servers soon arrived with it. Tim and Sarah ordered for Ellie and Bob; they walked in just as the others were starting to eat.

Before they left the diner, Tim nodded in approval as Rob headed to the kitchen; knowing he was about to tell Nancy and the kitchen staff the news. He and Sarah had decided to call the Hubbards in the next day or two to tell them what was going on. As they were getting into the car, Uncle Jim appeared beside him. "Tim, do you have a minute?"

"Sure."

"I don't know if you've heard about this but with you being at NCIS I thought it possible. There are an awful lot of rumors going on about an impending attack on DC. Claire, Mum and I have been discussing taking the kids, the dogs and probably the Cranes and heading west. Haven't made any firm plans yet but wondered if you'd heard."

Tim nodded. "Not just heard, I've been working on a project to decrypt files with information about the attack. It's planned and it'll be nuclear. One of the reasons Sarah finally had her DNA run was to see if she had relatives here, so we could get you to safety. Our family has 600 acres of ranch land just outside Albuquerque and we're going there, all of us. A survival shelter large enough for 100 is being installed this week. We have room for all of you and your pets; we'd love you to come with us. Aside from safety, we'd like you to be part of our family and us yours."

"God help us!" He took a deep breath, "I was going to ask all of you to come with us but you're all organized! I'll say yes for us Hubbards and I'll talk with your godparents tomorrow. When are we leaving and what do we need to do?"

Tim reached into the cargo space of the van, pulled out a briefcase, handing the other man copies of the handout and spreadsheet. "Several people are flying out in mid-July, all of the children under 18, anyone over 70 and a few others. My boss is going and he'll start to get things organized at that end. The rest of us will be driving our vehicles to Albuquerque; we're leaving the week of July 14th, possibly sooner. We were going to rent a bunch of trucks but I know a guy who's an independent mover and we think moving vans make much more sense."

"Have you made flight arrangements yet?"

"I have a friend who has a friend with a charter jet. Ducky, that's my friend, just suggested this today so we haven't worked out details. A charter will be easier on everyone and I'm sure we'll be getting a good price. Plus they can take odd sized things and we won't have to worry about mass chaos at the airport. The ranch next to us in Albuquerque has an airstrip that hasn't been used in years but they have a large family coming to shelter with them so the airstrip has been cleared and our charter will land there."

"Your grandmother and cousins would go on the charter?"

"Yes. You and the others can go too if you feel more comfortable. But we don't have enough drivers to drive your vehicle unless we have a spare tow bar."

"I'll stay back and probably Dave will too, drive with your caravan."

"Good, Uncle Jim. I'm so relieved! We've been trying to figure out when to tell you without things being stranger than they already are. What about Penny?"

"We'll tell her to stay away or fly into Albuquerque."

"Good, either works although it would be great to have her with us."

They parted with hugs and plans to talk again the following evening although they wouldn't meet again for a few days. Once home, Tim finished his code and in less than an hour the forms file was updated. He made 2 copies of the thumb drive; the agency could make copies for the agents and his techs. With Vance's permission, Tim also wrote code to download pending case files, those that had incomplete paperwork. He whistled when he saw the number, that should keep them busy for several weeks. Downloading those to memory sticks, he made three full copies. Next, he downloaded Cyber Crimes' cold cases and found himself sighing in relief that there were enough for his techs in Galveston and in Great Lakes to work on while inside the shelter. Not enough to cover the entire time Great Lakes would likely be inside but he'd figure something out. Copying those to a thumb drive, he made 5 copies and then he was done.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Wednesday, June 19th, 2019

After delivering the thumb drives and memory sticks to Vance, Tim spoke again with his techs. Those going to San Diego and Seattle had flights first thing Friday morning. They'd be away before the Threat Level announcement, which Secretary Porter said was scheduled for Friday evening.

Tim told them to be at the airport at least four hours early as Security would likely be a mess. Most of them were shipping everything but clothes; some were only taking clothes and electronics, leaving everything else behind. The Galveston and Great Lakes groups were driving, planning to leave Saturday morning. Tim shook his head, "No, the chaos will start Friday evening. Can you be ready to leave Thursday night or early Friday morning?"

Most of them nodded, still shocked at the realism of this and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Please do that then and don't worry about your work. It'll be waiting for you. Are you stopping along the way?"

The drive to Galveston was about 20 hours and to the Chicago area close to 12. Those going to Texas were stopping overnight; the others were driving straight through although they planned a few rest stops. Tim nodded, "Would you please text me when you've arrived? Doesn't matter what time it is."

They promised and Tim asked the air passengers to do the same. Each group was flying together so he'd get one text per group.

"All right, then tomorrow is our last day together. Everyone but those going to San Diego, send your current work to your new managers, please. That way you won't have to worry about delays for new logins or anything like that. Does anyone need more time to pack?"

Most of them raised their hands and he nodded, "Ok. Take off now and get that done. If there's anything critical that needs doing today, one of us will handle it, just let me know before you leave. Lunch is on me tomorrow; if we get everything done you can take off afterward. Galveston and Great Lakes teams, I'll have thumb drives for you with cold cases so you can continue working, continuing your paychecks and benefits as long as possible. Great Lakes, don't know if there are enough to see you through your time in the shelter but we'll work something out. This will be the most important move of your lives, our lives. I'll save the mushy stuff for tomorrow, let's get going now."

Two of them gave him case numbers with warrants that needed to be applied for today and he handled that, needing to do something real. After the packers left, he noticed the rest of his crew watching him and left his office again. "What's up?"

"When are you leaving?"

"A big part of the group is flying out, probably around the 12th. The rest of us are driving our vehicles and will leave as soon as the moving vans leave with all our stuff. That's planned for the 17th."

"You're taking everything?"

Tim shook his head, "No way. As I said, we'll be in a shelter for a couple of months at least and then in the house, several cabins and a converted barn. We're all taking our own beds, blankets, etc. We'll have generators so we're also taking a few freezers and refrigerators, electric ovens, small appliances and lamps. Tables, chairs, couches, books, board games, decks of cards. DVD and VHS players, many tapes and DVDs. Boom boxes although I think the Palmers are taking their stereo, that'll be nice."

"Boom boxes, stereo? Tim!"

"Won't have access to the internet and might not be able to use solar chargers for a while. Don't want to use all our fuel to charge our electronic toys. Going old school."

"What about writing?"

"I'm taking my laptop which has the best battery you can buy on it and I'm also taking my old typewriter which doesn't need any power but does need typewriter ribbons. Still, a stock of those and a few reams of paper won't take much room." He paused before continuing, "We'll be staying on at the ranch house once we leave the shelter so we're also taking things like our artwork and kitchenware."

"It's good to hear someone planning for After."

Tim nodded. "It's not the end of the world. It will be for some people unfortunately; I wish we could get everyone out but people can also build shelters in their yards and survive, provided they are far enough away from the strike zones and blast range. There's a whole website devoted to that and it's where we found a lot of information about what to expect and what we'd need. You Great Lakes folks and maybe Galveston really need to look at it, please!"

He looked around at them. "We'll still be the United States, but there will be some tough times. We've gotten through tough times before: the lead up to the American Revolution, the Revolution itself, the Civil War, the First World War, the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor, World War II, all the wars since then, 9/11 and all the bombings and shootings. When it counts, Americans have always found a way to push through and I believe we'll do it again." He chuckled, "Lecturing, sorry!"

"It's good to remember."

"Back to work then."

"Uh Tim, are you going to work after we leave?"

"Yes. My wife and I will be working from home starting Friday, we're not risking being stuck aboard the Yard and Director Vance plans a mandatory closure of the office at noon. So yes, I'll watch for new cases coming in and send them out to your units. When I leave, I'll turn that over to San Diego and when we get to Albuquerque, I'll work as long as possible."

"How close are you to the shelter you'll be in?"

"We'll have a tunnel from our basement into the shelter. And anyone staying in the other buildings can be inside the shelter in less than a minute."

They finally ran out of questions and when they'd finished what they needed to do, he let them go, following them out the door. He went over to the main building to meet Ellie for a doctor's appointment. As she was on the phone, he waited outside the bullpen. Balboa walked up to him, "How soon?"

"Are we leaving?"

He nodded.

"Few weeks. Have a lot to do to get ready. Are you coming with us?"

"Thanks, but we're leaving tomorrow night, driving a U Haul and towing our car to Salinas in California where our daughter lives. Then I'll work from the Monterey office."

"Good! Is this goodbye then?"

"Might be."

They exchanged new addresses and contact information, a quick hug and then Ellie was ready to go. As they left, Tim turned to Balboa, "If you're driving the southern route and need a break, you have the ranch address. The ranch next to us, the Ortiz Ranch, has guest houses and is owned by good friends, you can take a break there for a day or so."

"Thanks, we might do that. With only two of us driving, it's going to be a long haul."

"Be careful, ok?"

"We'll be armed and yes we will be careful. Want to get out of the area before all hell breaks loose Friday night."

"Good idea."

With that, the Gibbses left for their appointment.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The 12-week ultrasound hadn't determined the gender of their fetus but because they were leaving, the couple requested a noninvasive prenatal gender test and the doctor agreed. The test would reveal the presence of Y chromosome-specific DNA in Ellie's blood samples. Y-chromosomes in her blood would mean they were having a boy.

They were happy to learn their fetus was developing as it should and Ellie was in good health. The Y-chromosome test results wouldn't be available until Friday at the earliest.

After telling the doctor why they were leaving and all the precautions, they were on their way home but first Mama Ellie wanted pizza. The kids were at home with Aunts Sarah, Kelly and Uncle Bob, so no kid pickup was needed. As Ellie wanted particular toppings, she called in the order, which was ready by the time they stopped for it.

On the drive, they talked about the baby and looking for an obstetrician when they got to Albuquerque. Ellie said she'd start searching now; she'd rather have all her records transferred and make an appointment. Then Tim surprised her, asking if she thought they were waiting too long to leave.

"It's only three weeks."

"I know, hon, but after the Threat Level goes up, it's going to get crazy."

"You want us to fly out early, don't you?"

"And I go with you, yes. But hear me out. Yes, I think you should go earlier and we have the leeway to do that. I'm going to spend the next two days shopping and ordering online. And if we can get the movers here earlier than the 17th, we'll do it."

"Is this your gut?"

"Yes but I'm not sure if it's the threat or the chaos that's about to erupt, or both."

"Ok, that makes sense. I think this weekend is going to be awful and that none of us should leave home. But then it will calm down and the stores will restock. On the other hand having someone at the ranch sooner to take deliveries and get things sorted would be a real help."

"And we need to tell the kids."

"You're right; they're going to notice things happening at home and around them. And not going to day care anymore. Let's see how this weekend goes. There's no way we can be ready to leave by Saturday or Sunday."

"I'm going to drop you off and then go pick up a load at Costco."

"Water and food?"

"And black trash bags. Been reading about all the ways they can be used."

"Trash bags, ok. Did you eat lunch?"

He laughed, "I don't remember!"

She shook her head and then laughed with him.

He dropped her off with a kiss and then headed to their Costco. He loaded up on trash bags, more toilet paper and more cans of protein based food, two cases of protein powder and then loaded a pallet cart with jugs of water. He went through the checkout, loaded the van and then called Jerry. "Hey Jerry, I'm at Costco buying water. How big is that tank again?"

"10,000 gallons Tim, enough drinking water for 100 of us for 10 weeks plus a few thousand for laundry and toilets. And we don't have 100 people and the animals won't drink as much as we do so we should be fine. Don't forget Barbara's talking with the water delivery companies."

"That really is the easier way, isn't it? Ok, I have 500 gallons in my garage and Dad has the same, hope that will help with laundry and dishes. I also bought more food."

"We've been buying too and we have 800 gallons so we're doing fine."

Tim chuckled, "I just bought another 500 gallons so we're at 2300 gallons; that certainly should be enough for dishes and laundry!"

"Front loading washing machines use about 4 gallon per load and commercial dishwashers use about 8, or 4 gallons per rack. If we run the dishwasher twice a day and we're in for 12 weeks, that's just shy of 1350 gallons of water. We'd have to do more calculating to figure out how many loads of wash people will want to do. Are we the only ones shopping?"

"Fornell and Maggie each mentioned they've bought some although I don't know how much. I'll ask Mom, she's been keeping track of everyone. Most people are still working. I've got a few hours tomorrow and then we're both working from home." He paused, "What are you doing about the horses and livestock?"

"We're selling the cattle, they go to auction tomorrow. And I called your friend Roger Ortiz, asked if we could board our horses with them. He said they're taking theirs to a friend's ranch in Mexico and offered to take ours too. John and I are taking them down to the Ortizes, leaving early Friday morning so we'll be there before dark. We'll stay overnight at the ranch and check out the shelter. They're leaving Saturday with all the horses; we'll help them load up and probably come home Sunday. We're going to take a load of supplies too."

"That's great, all of it! Do you want to tell Ellie or shall I?"

"You can, son. She'll be so happy that Acorn will be safe!"

"All right, I'll tell her when I get home. I'm going back in and buy some other stuff before it goes missing. And you should call your daughter on Saturday."

"Ok, sure. Any particular reason?"

"We had a doctor's appointment today. And everything's fine but you should call her over the weekend."

"We will! Be careful Tim."

"I will, you too! Travel safe and please let us know when you're home again."

Tim returned to the store and bought enough baby wipes for 100 people for 10 weeks, 2 cases of dry shampoo, diapers in every size, baby clothes, breath mints and three more cases of canned ham. He thought about the things they hadn't talked about, pulled up his old camp list and ran through that. He spotted a great deal on LED light bulbs and bought several packs for their lighting fixtures. He didn't know what size lamps anyone else had so he bought for his household's lamps. Twelve cases of juice boxes, a variety of flavors, and five cases of pre-made protein shakes, a cute little Batman onesie for his new child, cases of fish, turtle and bird food and other items for them and he was done for the night.

Back home he backed the van in, leaving everything where it was, kissing his wife in thanks for moving her truck to the driveway. When he told her about the horses, she cried. "I was too afraid to ask, that's wonderful!" They kissed and cuddled until his stomach gave a hungry growl.

After eating the pizza saved for him and kissing the kids goodnight, he sent his mother a text, "Do you know how much food and water other people bought?"

His phone rang and he answered it, "Hi Mama."

"Hello sweetie. Are you getting anxious?"

"Yes, my staff is leaving tomorrow and Friday morning."

"Hmm, hard to not want to get out too."

"Yeah."

"Well, you'll be happy to know the DiNozzos and Fornells have also been busy shopping. With the water you and your dad bought plus Maggie and Tobias, we have 2000 gallons."

"Wow that's great, a relief! Jerry and Barbara have 800 gallons and I just bought another 500 so that's 3300."

"I think that's going to be our biggest item on the trucks."

"Yeah; we should split it up so no one truck has it all."

They talked for a little longer, she gave him the count for cans of protein-based food and he felt a lot better. He smiled when he saw an e-mail from her a few minutes later, addressed to the entire group moving with them. She advised them to do any weekend shopping on Thursday and to plan to 'hunker down' at home over the weekend and a reminder to pet owners that they were responsible for bringing six months of food and any other necessities for their pets. There was an additional note at the bottom from his father, listing what needed to be done for their vehicles to prepare them for long-term storage once they got to the ranch.

After they finally disconnected he had a message from Uncle Jim that said the Cranes, his and Sarah's godparents, wanted to come with them; he, Dave and Liz would drive but they'd only have two cars. That certainly helped the driver/vehicle situation. Both families completed their spreadsheets, scanned them online and wanted to know where to send them. He gave them his parents' e-mail address and sent Mom a text to expect them.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Passover, Happy Easter and Happy Spring!

Chapter 10

Thursday, June 20th, 2019

Thursday morning Ellie caught a ride in with Dad who had an early meeting with Vance while Tim made phone calls to Lyndi, his attorney and several others. Checking his e-mail, he smiled at the message from Bill. As he had a dog and no family to pack up, he'd volunteered to handle arrangements with the Pet Transport Company and this was an update.

The company would pick up the pets, all the pets, at the airfield shortly before the air passengers departed and then deliver them several hours after the air passengers arrived at the ranch, giving the air group time to get the pet shelter wired and otherwise ready. Relieved that Bill had stepped up to handle this, Tim was happy that Neo, Chirp, the fish and turtles would be delivered to the ranch.

Leaving for work with a smile on his face, he stopped to run an errand before heading to the Navy Yard for the last time.

After much discussion, he and Ellie decided to withdraw everything from their savings account before the announcement on Friday and now he did that, asking for large denominations. They'd considered getting a cashier's check but decided they'd rather have the cash on hand, just in case. Rob loaned him a money belt; it felt strange under his clothes but at least he wouldn't have to worry about carrying around an envelope stuffed full of cash.

They'd transfer half the money in their checking account now and leave the rest until they were closer to departure. Eventually, it would all be transferred to the branch in Albuquerque where Tim had convinced his father to open accounts before they moved home. As they'd discovered when purchasing the ranch, interstate transfers took a bit longer even within the same bank.

He had a passing thought that they should transfer all their funds as soon as possible in case they did leave earlier than planned. While he was there, he emptied their safe deposit box into his briefcase, including their insurance policies, a copy of his and Ellie's marriage license, copies of Lia's adoption paperwork, their passports, the original guardian letter from Sue and Deeny, a copy of his paternity claim and all of their birth certificates. He smiled when he found Vance's fake ID packet given the Gibbses the night the marshals took them, he'd forgotten it was in there. They'd returned the cash but kept the IDs. It felt strange to be taking everything but once they reached Albuquerque everything would go into their safety deposit box there.

As he reached the office, he called in their order for lunch, Chinese food, which would be delivered. He'd thought about a cake but it didn't feel appropriate; he opted for cupcakes instead. They seemed lower key and yummy without any necessarily celebratory meaning. Walking into his department, he saw his staff hard at work on a new case. Smiling, Dallas explained, "We decided to gang up on it, see how far we can get with it today."

He returned the smile, "Great! That makes me even prouder of you all! Got a piece for me to work?"

Heads stayed focused on monitors but he saw several grins. And on his e-mail, he found a list of their names, personal e-mail and new office addresses along with cell and new office phone numbers. He added his information and poked his head out, "Am I the last one for the contact list?"

Getting nods, he sent it back out to everyone and then printed 31 copies and distributed them. "Thanks for doing this, another great idea. Made paper copies in case electronics go wonky."

Then he got to work and was as surprised as his techs when Security called to say their lunch had arrived. He took two of his folks with him across to the main building where he gave the delivery man, their usual guy, an absurdly huge tip with a note tucked in with the money.

" _Thanks Mateo, this is our last order; our team's dispersing. You've been a good sport and we appreciate it._ "

As the three walked back to their basement, Mateo ran after them. "Agent Gibbs, what's this? Is it true?"

Tim handed off the bags he was carrying to the other two, ready to explain the money and the note. "Yes, Mateo. I don't know your circumstances but you need to get out of the area by the end of this month."

He explained the reason and the recommended distance. The young man blinked. "I've only got another semester at GW; if I leave I'll lose my scholarship and I don't have any family, grew up in foster care."

"What about friends? And sorry to be so blunt but are you sober?"

"I have friends, but I'm too busy working or studying to stay in touch. And yes, I'm sober. My father was an alcoholic so I'm a fanatic about staying away from drugs and alcohol."

"What are you studying?"

"Family law."

"Great, could have used you a few years ago! Have you ever been to New Mexico?"

"No, as far as I know I've lived around here all my life. Landed in the system when I was four."

"How about this…" When Tim asked him to come to the ranch with his family, Mateo stepped back and looked at him carefully.

"You've always seemed like a nice guy, a good man. But I have to be careful; I have no one to go to if there's trouble."

"I understand. My sister, brothers and I grew up homeless in Baltimore and you're right to be cautious. And you do have people who can help you; you've been delivering to a building full of cops for years now! Do you have a car?"

"A beater, yeah."

"Will it get you to Alexandria?"

He laughed, "Yeah, it's not that bad!"

"Ok, here's our address. My wife, kids and parents would love to meet you. Come for dinner tonight, I promise no Chinese food. And if you decide to come with us, great. If not, I'm buying you a bus ticket anywhere in the country, as long as it's outside the likely target areas."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because we didn't have anyone either, I know you and can't reach everyone in the area."

"Ok. You want me to come tonight?"

"Yes. Or tomorrow night, but then come in the afternoon and bring something to swim in and whatever you need for the weekend; prepare to stay until Monday. There's an announcement happening tomorrow night that's going to cause a lot of chaos for a few days."

"An announcement from who?"

"Homeland Security."

"Oh. All right. I have to work tonight at my other job but I'm off on Fridays so I can come over then. What time's good?"

"We'll be there all day. My staff is leaving tonight and tomorrow so there's no reason for me to come in."

"They're leaving, those two who were with you?"

"And everyone else, yes, all 30 of them. We're transferring them to parts of the country where they'll be safe. I hope."

The young man looked at him without blinking and then swallowed hard. "This is really happening."

"I believe so, yes. The threat is real, I hope the attack won't happen but I'm not willing to risk anyone's lives."

"Okay I'll come. How much money will I need?"

"We're pretty much covered for money but bring what you have for After. You'll need to clear out your bank account, checking, and savings, get cash. We need people who can help physically and emotionally. You've been on your own for a long time - you're a survivor. We'll need that in the shelter and if this happens, we'll need your knowledge and experiences. My sister, brothers and I have been off the streets since I got my scholarship to MIT almost 20 years ago."

The other man grinned, "You saying you've gone soft?"

"Yeah. Physically not too bad but otherwise, yeah. What law schools have you applied to?"

"They're all around here."

"You could apply for a transfer to a college in New Mexico or on the West Coast to finish your undergrad. Figure for the 2020 winter term. We ought to be able to get you there and we have friends out west who will help. And then you can relax a little, look at what law schools outside of the East Coast appeal to you. Once we get to the ranch - by the way it's outside Albuquerque, you can look it up on Google Earth or Zillow - and while we still have internet you can start your search and also look for new scholarships."

"And this is because of your family."

"My sister and I were abandoned when I was 9 and she was 3. We met Geordie our first day on the streets and Robbie came along 3 weeks later. We didn't have parents but we had each other and a few others who were stuck too. If you come with us you'll meet them all as they're going too."

"Sometime will you tell me why you didn't go into foster care?"

"Yes."

"Ok, then if it's all right with you I'll come over tonight after all. I hate my other job and if I'm leaving, I'm done there now." He paused, "I'll tell the crew at the Kitchen what's going on. The owners are tough but they've been good to all of us."

"Good, tell your friends, everyone you know and everyone you see. The more people who leave on their own, the better. Remember what I said about the distances?"

"As far south as Miami, to the north of Maine, west as far as New Mexico. They'll never remember Nebraska and the other states."

"And tell them to go as soon as possible, take whatever they have and go."

"Will do. All right, Agent Gibbs. Hey, didn't you used to be called McGee and work in the other building? I always thought Gibbs was the older guy."

"He is; we discovered he's my father, changed my name. Now I have parents! And yes, I was on his team, moved to Cyber Crimes when we discovered the connection."

"Wow that's cool!" He looked at Tim's watch, "I gotta go!"

"See you tonight. My wife and I will be there by 5."

"Ok, see you then." He moved away but then came back. "Is it all right if I bring my stuff tonight and hang out over the weekend too?"

"Sure!"

As the man left, Tim hurried inside, his stomach growling. He ate with his team and then laughed when most of them found room for a cupcake or two. He nearly burst with pride when they broke the case they'd been working together and sent it to one of the Florida offices; the field agents there would handle the arrests. After they did their preliminary reports, he let them go, shaking hands and exchanging a few hugs. "Be careful, stay safe, enjoy your lives and keep in touch when we can."

They all took their laptops and after the last ones left, he looked at the sea of empty cubicles. Time to leave.

He went up to the bullpen, thinking this would be the last time there too. Leon was there, waiting with a grin.

"I got spots for everyone but Palmer, Barnes and DiNozzo's team and we can work on that when we get to the ranch. And your dad and Ducky are taking full retirement so we'll have those two incomes."

Vance pulled Tim aside to update him. When he was done, he took off and Tim turned back to the bullpen.

Evan Fuller looked at him, "Hi Bunkie."

Tim gave him a wide grin, "You're throwing in with us, great!"

Tony nudged him, "Henry said you were chatting up the Chinese food delivery guy."

Henry, their favorite security guy, was finally retiring and moving to Puerto Rico with his wife, a native of the island. The agency hosted a party for them three weeks ago; Tim reflected that in a way that was the farewell party for everyone here at HQ, they just hadn't known it. Henry had already heard the news and was leaving that night on a C-130 to San Juan. His wife was already there, getting their new home organized.

"Yeah; Mateo's an orphan, grew up in foster care, works two jobs and has one more term at GW to get his undergrad before law school. He's going with us."

"Wow. That's got to be an interesting story."

"I'm sure it is."

Ellie was ready; Tim took the bags with her personal belongings from her cubicle. They started for the elevator, saying goodnight to everyone they saw, relieved that nobody was saying goodbye. Ned Dorneget got on the elevator with them. "I know I said I was going to Arizona but I'd really rather hang out with you guys. Still have room?"

"For you, yes Ned!"

"Good, thanks. What do I need to do and when are we leaving?"

Ellie fished in one of the bags Tim was carrying and handed him a four-page document with a spreadsheet attached.

"That's just about everything. Our departure date is a little fluid right now. Tim wants those of us who are flying to leave as soon as possible, but not this weekend, it's going to be chaos. As far as the moving vans and the drivers, we had July 17th set but Tim…?"

"I have a call into our mover to see when he can be here. He was scheduled to move a load to North Carolina but we haven't talked in a day or two. I'll try calling him again."

"I want to drive."

"Great! We have 24 drivers then and 22 vehicles if you take your car."

Ellie frowned, "I thought it was 20."

"Mateo is coming with us, not taking his car, so he's a carless driver. Hubbards and Cranes have three drivers, two cars. Ned, how about you?"

"Thought I'd see what you guys said first. My car's not in good enough shape to drive to New Mexico. It's paid off; I might just leave the keys in it for someone to drive however far they can. I can help drive someone else's vehicle and get another car later."

"Good! That means we have 21 vehicles and 24 drivers, excellent!"

Dorneget split from them in the parking garage while Tim and Ellie got in the truck. "We're stopping at the bank, right?"

"Haven't had a chance to tell you, I stopped on the way in this morning, cleared out the savings account and the safety deposit box. But now I'm thinking we should transfer everything to the Albuquerque account now instead of waiting. What do you think?"

"I think now is good. We have cash and credit cards for whatever supplies we buy before we leave. And all the bills are paid for the month."

"Ok, sweetie let's go do that now."

Stopping at the bank, they transferred everything in their checking account to the account in Albuquerque, letting the bank employee know that they were evacuating and why. That done they drove home, reaching there about 1630, early hours for both of them.

Tim's phone chimed with a call from Mr. Ware as they walked in the front door.

"Hello Mr. Ware."

"Hey, sorry took me so long to call and the name is Pete."

"And I'm Tim. Know you have a business to keep up with."

"Sure do. Good news for you, my North Carolina run was canceled so I can get to Virginia earlier. And I found movers in Virginia who are more than willing to haul your belongings to New Mexico. There are three of them if you can use four vans."

"That's great news and yes, I think we're going to need four trucks. We have more specific numbers now and good news for all of us, we have access to a warehouse; we'll move everything there to make loading faster and easier. Let me tell you what we have."

That afternoon, Leon gave him a key to a warehouse that NCIS confiscated and locked up after busting a drug ring there a few years earlier. The case finally made it through court recently and the owner of the warehouse was convicted. Now the director said they might as well use the building for a staging area. He'd had the locks changed and had keys made for every family or individual going with them.

"Great, that was going to be the toughest part."

"Right now my biggest concern is our supplies. We have 3300 gallons of water in various garages along with several hundred pounds of foodstuffs."

"All right, we should split the water and the food between the trucks. And we'll all be armed."

"That was another worry, good."

He read off the numbers of appliances, beds, sofas, tables and chairs, recliners, and an estimate of boxes for each individual or family.

"We had to limit the number of boxes per person, it was getting crazy."

"I'm relieved to hear that. I kept thinking of the number of people and multiple sets of dishes, etc."

"Yes, exactly. Luckily my mother took charge of that and told people they could ship whatever exceeds their limit to the ranch themselves but there was finite room there too."

"All right, so let's go with four trucks total. It would help if everything was prioritized too so we don't have people fighting over whose hot tub is staying or going."

Tim snorted at that. "Good point and no hot tubs. Just be glad my dad already has a grill he loves at the ranch, he has three here. And we've already prioritized items, beds, appliances, etc. The transportation team will go through everything before you get here and have it organized."

Pete Ware gave him the names and addresses of the other three drivers and Tim promptly ran a background check on them. They all came up clean and when he checked he saw all four drivers were licensed to carry in the states through which they'd be traveling. Another potential hassle avoided!

While he was doing that, Mateo arrived and introduced himself to Dad who'd answered the door after bringing the kids home along with dinner for all of them.

"I'm Mateo Begay. And you're the original Agent Gibbs!"

Jethro was puzzled but Tim looked up from the laptop, "Hi Mateo, come on in. Dad, you used to see him all the time; he delivers Chinese food to the Yard."

"Knew you looked familiar, sorry I couldn't place you! Yes, I am the original Agent Gibbs, please call me Jethro." Dad held his hand out for a shake.

"Sure."

Tim quickly logged out of his laptop and joined them. "Where's your bag?"

"In the car, didn't want to scare whoever answered the door."

"Smart!" They went out to get his gear while Jethro went to the backyard, joining the rest of the family. "New guy's here."

"Okay." Ellie went inside to welcome him while Shannon pulled another chair to the table.

They tucked his bag behind the sofa for now; he could sleep on one of the rollaway beds in the playroom or on the sofa bed. The young man smiled when he saw Ellie, "I know you too! Agent Bishop, right?"

"Yes. Here I'm Ellie; Tim's my husband."

"Wow, that's great, three people I know."

Tim chuckled, "And there are more. Agents Fuller, DiNozzo, Barnes, Chalmers, Dorneget, and Carter are going with us. And Doctors Mallard, Palmer, and Director Vance."

"Cool; I was afraid I'd only know you!"

"That'd be ok too, Mateo; there are at least seven people going with us that we've never met."

"Interesting. Uh, I haven't had time to do that spreadsheet you gave me. But I'm not taking anything but a lamp, a little table, tablet, phone, clothes, and shoes and I don't have any allergies, not on any medications."

He said that as they moved through the kitchen to the patio. Where he stopped and looked at everyone there.

Shannon smiled, "You're an easy one to fit in then. I'm Shannon Gibbs, wife of Jethro, mother of Tim and a bunch of other adult kids you'll meet eventually and grandmother to these three."

They shook hands and Tim introduced him to Mac and the children. Tyler and Bryn held out their hands for a shake while Lia squealed at him and his eyes widened. "I haven't been around a baby in years!"

Shannon laughed, "We'll take care of that!"

Ellie smiled at Ty, Brynie and Lia, "Kids, we know Mateo from work and he's going to stay with us this weekend."

Within a few minutes, the children had the young man charmed. Mac, Ty, and Brynie set the table while Tim made a salad and pulled a casserole dish of roasted potatoes and vegetables out of the oven. One of his favorite Mom dishes, yum! He bet they were having pork; Dad said he didn't want to cook any chicken until they were at the ranch and they'd fed the entire family steak last weekend.

They sat down at the table and Mateo's face lit up when he saw the platter of grilled pork roast slices. "Wow, meat! I haven't had that in a while!"

Tim chuckled, "Oh yeah, college. Macaroni and cheese with a cut up hot dog was a huge treat as I remember and burgers only happened if someone else paid for them. Spaghetti with ketchup packets as pasta sauce and maybe part of a can of chicken or spam added."

"Sounds about right if the noodles were ramen."

"Forgot about that! Ten packs for a dollar; filled us up."

His father blanched but didn't say anything while Mac just laughed. "When I was in college we weren't allowed to live on our own. Had to live in the dormitory and eat in the cafeteria. I'd rather have eaten the ramen spaghetti!"

Mateo chuckled, "Sometime I'll make you some."

They all laughed at that and sat back to enjoy their dinner and the company. Ty and Brynie asked the new guy where he went to school, worked, and lived. When Tim saw they were about to launch into even more personal questions he gave them each a look that told them that was enough.

* * *


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Friday, June 21st, 2019

Up early, Tim, Mateo, and Dad loaded both trucks and took them to the warehouse where they stacked everything on pallets found inside. Tim also installed security cameras, linking them to his watch and his father's, Geordie's and Tony's phones. Then they took the trucks to a Costco fairly close to the warehouse, bought more food and found boots and socks for Mateo.

When he protested, Dad clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Mateo, you're part of the clan now and we take care of our own. When we get back to the house, you and Tim are going online and buying more clothes for you. You need more than holey jeans, a pair of cut-offs and three T-shirts."

"I have more, that's just what I brought for the weekend."

Tim chuckled. "And now you'll have even more."

He protested for a few more minutes before relaxing. It was fun watching as long- sleeved T-shirts, sweatshirts, and sweatpants were thrown into the cart. He rolled his eyes when he was told to pick 10 pairs of underwear including undershirts. He blinked when he found two sets of thermal underwear in the cart. "Do I need all this?"

"We're not sure so everyone's taking some of everything."

"Okay."

When the other two were apparently finished outfitting him, they headed for the food and bought cases of the largest cans of anything Mateo had seen aside from the restaurants he worked in. Tim disappeared and came back with a pallet on wheels. "Come on, let's get more water." He followed them and then watched astounded as the two of them maneuvered a huge plastic container full of water onto the pallet. After the first one, he helped, finally stopping when Tim was satisfied, saying, "We don't know what the water situation will be After. Don't want to survive the thing and then be in more trouble with no water." He muttered to himself and Jethro said, "He's counting gallons."

Tim finished, "Ok, we're good. Next comes more baby food." Jethro and Mateo stayed with the pallet and water while Tim took the cart and headed for the baby food, grabbing cases of it. Sending a text to his father, the three men met at the checkout. Finally, they were through the lines and loaded everything into the trucks.

Jethro led the way back and Mateo, riding with him, noted they were driving a different route. The older man chuckled, "Good observation! Want to make sure we're not followed. Don't want to lead anyone to our stash."

"Huh, never thought of that."

When the two drivers were certain no one was following them, they drove to the warehouse and unloaded, grouping everything in order of priority. Tim looked around as they finished. "Furniture needs to go in."

"Except for the beds."

"Yeah, need to figure that out."

"After the charter leaves we'll gather those beds. Then you, Mom, Mateo and I can sleep on the sofa bed mattresses and the rollaway beds. Those are easier to move. DiNozzo, oh Maggie's driving, huh?"

"Yes but they have a sofa bed."

"Ok, so look at the list and see who has what. Palmers are flying; ask Ed to move their beds and other furniture. Whittle it down."

"Good ideas, Dad, thanks."

"Keep telling you not to take on everything by yourself, son."

Tim snorted, "Hmm, wonder where I got that from, Agent Lone Wolf?"

Mateo couldn't help it, he started laughing and the surprised Gibbses soon joined in. They were just locking up at the warehouse when Tim's phone buzzed with a text from Tony. "Ok to take stuff to the warehouse?"

Tim replied and laughed at the answer. "He says that's good because they're already on their way."

The DiNozzos were there in less than five minutes and they stayed to help them unload. Tony's eyes bulged when he saw what was inside already. "Wow, you guys, we've only had the keys since yesterday!"

"Did a double load this morning and then went to Costco and loaded up some more."

"Yeah, we got more water this morning but it's in the garage. We'll bring it over next trip, wanted to get the Colonel's furniture over here."

Maggie's father was bringing 2 bookcases and a large library table. Tim was surprised to see the DiNozzos' sofa too.

Maggie saw his surprise, "We took the mattress out of it. We can sit in the chairs until Dad leaves, then we'll bring over the beds and chairs we're taking and sleep on the sofa bed mattress. We'll start bringing boxes too, we have them labeled and numbered."

"Good work!"

Jethro laughed quietly when Tim's phone chimed with a call from Rick Carter. "Hey Tim, wanted to know if we could bring a load of stuff to the warehouse. Want to get as much over there as we can."

"Sure Rick, you have a key. Dad, the DiNozzos, Mateo and I are there right now."

"Ha, great minds think alike. Uh, is Mateo the delivery guy?"

"Yes!"

"Good, ok, don't wait for us, we can handle everything. Oh and we bought water too."

Tim laughed, "Yay!"

He disconnected and said, "Rick and Denise are on their way but don't want us to wait. And they bought water."

They all laughed, ensuring the building was secure before making their way out. When they got back to the house, they looked at the time and then the three of them looked at each other. Dad said, "I'll buy whatever you want at the diner after we're done."

Mateo grinned, "Food sounds good!"

Tim nodded, "We're on a roll and might not be able to do much over the weekend."

Backing each truck into its respective garage, they loaded each one again, first taking the time to say hello to the kids, Ellie, Shannon, Mac, Sarah and surprisingly Kelly. She greeted them with a smile, "I got called off until Monday and Mom told me to come over for the weekend."

Sarah nodded, "Bob will be here later. Mom said we could stay with them this weekend. We figured we could swim and help with things."

Mateo was introduced to the Gibbs sisters and they shook hands, grinning at him. "Are you NCIS?"

He first shook his head and then tilted it, "Sort of but not directly. I'm the delivery guy for NCIS's favorite Chinese food."

"And you're going with us? Awesome!"

Both young women asked, in unison, "Do you cook?"

Taken aback, Mateo finally answered, "I can do ramen spaghetti."

That made everyone else laugh and Shannon explained. The kids were out back playing, Lia was in her playpen on the lawn and Mac was watching them while Ellie slept in a lounger. The three men went back to their loading and then walked down the back alley to Jethro's house to do the same thing.

Bob arrived and wanted to help; he rode with Jethro while Mateo rode with Tim. "Are we going to make another run to Costco after we unload?"

"Might but not the same Costco. No more water either; we're fine until my next worry attack."

Unloading at the warehouse, they were surprised to see quite a bit more. Bob smiled, "I borrowed a neighbor's pickup and brought a load over. Rick and his wife were just leaving and they said Jimmy, some other guy and Ducky were here with a truckload."

Tim was happy to see everyone was following the pattern he'd set up. High priority items, water, food, were closest to the door. There was a growing stack of cases of baby food and that was with the other food and beverages. Diapers and other baby paraphernalia were slightly behind the food. Tim moved the baby paraphernalia pile so it was stacked with the cases of baby food and whipping out a Sharpie, he marked each one as 'BABY'.

Boxes marked clothing and the names of the owners were behind that. Several mattresses and box springs each marked with the name of the owner and the number of pieces were against the wall. Col. Barnes' bookcases had been joined by Ducky's, they were farther back while lighter weight storage shelves, and cabinets fronted them.

Two desks, chairs and the Colonel's library table sat with the bookcases. A dining room table and chairs that Tim and Jethro recognized as Ducky's was in front of all that. With a whimper, Tim headed for it, his father joining him. Each grabbing an end, they started to move it, Bob and Mateo quickly joining them. As they moved it, Mateo asked, "Does this table mean something to you?"

Tim nodded. "The people who sat around it. Every Thanksgiving and other holidays, our old team, Ducky, the Palmers and Abby sat around this table. Ziva, Tony, me, Dad, Ellie after Ziva left and Bob when he joined us."

Jethro touched it. "Kate too. When we had that case with the meat puzzle."

"It's definitely going."

The two Gibbses nodded and Jethro cleared his throat. "Ducky's planning on leaving just about everything to Jimmy and Breena, another reason to take it." He nodded as he spotted a large box of books. "Good, he's started sorting."

Bob smiled as he explained to Mateo, "Ducky has a prodigious library in his house and he knows all of his books intimately."

"That's great, I love to read, can't wait to look at these."

They unloaded and left again, heading for the diner. Tim laughed; it was only 10:15! He was glad it hadn't taken long, that was a good omen. He smiled when he saw familiar vehicles at the diner. "Ellie, Tony, Maggie, Ducky, Jimmy, and Abby?"

"Yes, Leon got Abby and Kyle a ride to New Orleans on a military flight today and they're leaving their cars here at the diner. Elaine said that was fine. I told them if we could we'd tow them to Albuquerque but I don't know if that's going to work."

Tim grinned, "We'll figure it out, at least one of them."

They walked in, greeting the others and holding Abby tight. Kyle was with her, looking overwhelmed. When Mateo told him he didn't work in law enforcement, the man grabbed his arm, "Thank God, another civilian!"

Elaine had everyone's favorite foods ready and she kept up the chatter, knowing this would be a tough farewell, the first, as Abby went in a different direction than the rest of the group. Maggie and Bob helped, understanding what Elaine was doing. Jethro and Ducky sat on either side of their girl and worked hard to be positive; teasing her about the crazy things she'd get up to in Belize.

Nobody was surprised when Vance joined the party. He handed an envelope to Abby. "Contacts I have in Belmopan and Belize City. Don't hesitate to call them if you need help. I trust them with my life, with the lives of my children. They know you're coming, know you're one of mine, one of ours. They can help. And I didn't know if you'd had a chance so I also included some Belize currency."

"Thank you." Abby looked a question at him and he held his arms open for a hug. Then she sat back, "I love you all, we've been through so much together. As soon as it's safe, I'll come to Albuquerque; yes Tim I have the directions. I memorized them."

Leon looked at his watch. "It's time. I've arranged for a car to take you to the airfield. Both of you will need your IDs and passports ready when you pull up to the front gate. Kyle, I am hereby hiring you as a consultant to NCIS, which is what your agency ID says. Keep it; you can use it when you come back to the States. If anyone asks what kind of consulting, say you're a dog trainer and the agency is looking into training our own drug and cadaver dogs. Dog training is pretty close to the truth, isn't it?"

"Yes, Sir, and thank you!"

They all stood as Abby and Kyle handed their car keys to Gibbs and then made their way to the door, with many hugs, kisses and well-wishes from the others. They sat again as their friends left. Vance thanked Elaine for the favorite entrée that she put in front of him. He ate a few bites and then looked at Mateo. "I know you but can't remember your name."

The others laughed gently as Mateo explained who he was. "Ah, and you're joining us, wonderful! And welcome!"

"Thank you, Sir."

"No more sir. It's Leon or Vance. And when you call me Leon, there's a special tone you'll need to learn."

"What's that?"

Remembering this from a conversation they'd had a while ago, Jethro leaned forward, "LEEYON!"

"That!"

The others laughed and Jethro winked at his friend, they'd needed the laugh.

Vance continued, "For a few years I thought my name was "Leonwhatthehell?"

Tony, Jimmy, Tim, Ellie, Bob, and Ducky were laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes while Jethro made a little show of being embarrassed.

"But we finally learned to speak to each other in our indoor voices and to trust each other."

"More than that, Leon."

"You're right there, Jethro."

Mateo grinned, he liked this bunch; they were crazy, in a good way.

Jethro frowned, "Why no more sir? I thought you all were going to continue working from the ranch?"

"We are, but I'm not going back to the Navy Yard, it is officially closed. Assistant Directors Ferrer and Craig are in charge until we get to the ranch. The building is empty, locked up. The servers and other equipment worth saving were moved up to the Ridge Mountain facility early this morning. That's 270 miles from DC and a half mile underground, they should be safe. Our most recent case files are ready for paperwork and all active cases have been reassigned to offices outside of probable target areas." He sighed, "The Navy Yard will be empty by Tuesday. The DoD hired movers to transport the MCRT, ME vans, and the fleet vehicles from all the alphabets. They'll get as far west as possible with them; they should have enough time to get to the West Coast."

DiNozzo shook his head, "That's so weird. I'm getting used to the idea of all of us leaving but the Yard empty, wow."

"Yes. DoD is bringing in the Navy and possibly the Coast Guard to move everything; they're also clearing out Quantico. On the way here, I heard they're towing the Barry to safety."

Tim smiled, "That's wonderful, a working symbol."

Vance returned the smile. "Makes me feel a little better too. So, any changes I need to know about?"

"According to the spreadsheet, we've got all the water and food we need. We have four movers and their trucks lined up, and several of us have started moving things to the warehouse. Dad, Mateo, and I did three runs today, the DiNozzos did a run, Bob did a run, Rick and Denise Carter, and Jimmy, Ducky, and whoever that was with you guys did a run." Tim leaned forward, "Ducky, your dining room table is absolutely going with us."

Ducky patted him on the hand. "Thank you, Timothy. That's a family heirloom, came over from Scotland. And that was Jimmy's brother-in-law Brad; he's married to Breena's sister Alyssa."

Vance nodded. "We rented a truck and will have it full by Monday. We cleaned out the garage and it's parked in there. Our departure dates still good?"

Tim shook his head. "No, we haven't changed them but I'd like to get out of here as soon as possible."

Ducky pursed his lips, "Our pilot Charlie is flexible about leaving; he too would rather go sooner than later. I have more books to go through but that will only take a day. My clothes and everything else I'm taking are packed. Books are going on the trucks, my clothing, medical supplies, and equipment is mostly going with me."

Jimmy nodded. "We can be ready in a few days now that we're not going to the Yard. We're only taking our beds, dressers, toys, books, kitchen stuff and my medical equipment but that's going on the plane along with our clothes. We'll also have some oversized medical equipment to go on the trucks; Rob, Kelly and I brought all the equipment over from the clinic in Baltimore: two exam beds, X-ray machine, EKG, portable MRI. The only thing we don't have is a portable ultrasound and Dr. Mallard has ordered that, shipped it to the Ortizes."

Vance agreed, "We can do that too, be ready in a few days now that we can concentrate. We're only taking our beds, dressers too as far as furniture. Although Lara wants to take the dining room table, chairs, and the kitchenware. Photos and things we'll take inside with us."

Tim chuckled, "Yes, I think there are a lot of things that are going for After and not for inside the shelter. That's fine; once we move out we can store things in there."

He suggested a date and one by one, the others committed to it. Tim nodded. "That's good. There are several other people we'll need to check with."

Bob raised his hand, "Barry, Bill, and I can do that, Tim. I know who was here today and we can split the rest. I'll call Barry and Bill."

"Thanks man. Better send Barry an e-mail though, he's off until Monday and might not answer his phone."

"Don't blame him!"

With a new resolve, they gathered their things and thanking Elaine and her husband, left for their respective homes.

When they walked in the door of their home, Ellie pushed Tim into a chair. "I've been waiting all morning to talk to you! I had a call from the doctor's office, we're having a boy!"

Tim's face lit up, "You heard already? And it's a boy? Wow, then McKenzie Gerard instead of McKenzie Shanarbra. Wow!" He pulled his wife onto his lap and they celebrated their future son.

A/N: Cyber cookies and a shout out for whoever figures out what 'Shanarbra' is.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> p>Shout outs to Avirra and jeannegibbs for guessing where the baby's alternate middle name, Shanarbra came from. Yes, it's an unwieldy combination of the grandmothers' names: Shannon and Barbara. Good thing it's a boy and will have Gerard as his middle name!
> 
> For those of you who've read Finding Home and this series, you might want to grab a tissue before reading this chapter.
> 
> * * *

Chapter 12

Saturday-Sunday, June 22nd – 23rd, 2019

By Sunday evening, they knew Jimmy and Ducky were right, not having to go to work made the difference and the enforced weekend at home helped. Ellie and Tim had clothing, toys, artwork, books, photo albums, linens and kitchenware packed. The truck and van were now parked at the back gate so the garage could be fully utilized for storage. Items for the plane on the right, for the warehouse/moving vans on the left.

The announcement Friday night did what they'd predicted, scared people into near panic without knowing specifics about the threat. The Gibbs family spent several hours walking around the neighborhood, telling their neighbors what was expected although they didn't invite anyone else to the shelter, they'd be close enough to capacity as it was. Tim distributed copies of a map of the U.S with big arrows pointing west, south and north and coloring the expected 'safe' areas green. He added the distance in miles as to how far they should go to be out of the anticipated target areas.

They were very glad they'd moved so many of their supplies to the warehouse as there were traffic jams everywhere while people shopped for an emergency. What the emergency was, the public didn't quite know. Although the rumors were starting to hit the print media and social media was all over it.

Consulting with the Palmers, both sets of parents agreed what to say to their children. After breakfast Saturday morning, Tim and Ellie smiled at Ty, Brynie and Lia. "We have something we want to tell you."

The kids sat in their chairs, waiting. Tim took a deep breath, "We're moving to our ranch to live."

Ty looked at his father. "Is everyone going?"

"Yes. Except for Aunt Abby, she's moving to a country called Belize."

"When is she going, Daddy?"

"She left yesterday Brynie, and I'm sorry you didn't have a chance to say goodbye. She gave us something for you two but said not to open them until you needed to laugh."

"Ok. But Poppy, Nonny, and Grandpa are going? And Granducky, all the uncles, aunts, and Victoria, Teddy, and Ricky?"

"Yes, all of them. And Grandma and Grandpa Jerry and those aunts and uncles and cousins too."

"The horsies, Daddy?"

"No, sweetie, the horses are going to live in Mexico for a while. Grandpa Jerry and Uncle John took their horses to live with Aunt Tamara's horses until it is safe for them to come home."

"Is Mexico like New Mexico?"

"It's a different country; if you get your globe, I'll show you."

"Ok!" Tyler jumped up and went for his globe, which his parents realized needed to be packed.

When they had it in front of them, they showed the kids Mexico and the general area where the horses would be and then Belize where Aunt Abby would live.

"How come we're moving again Daddy?"

"Some people want to hurt our country and they're going to use bombs to blow up the buildings and any people that are still here. We hope the bad stuff won't happen until after your birthday, Tyler but I want all of us out of here a long time before that."

"Are we moving back after the bombs are done?"

"No son. Our houses will be gone."

"What about our friends?"

"We've told all our friends and they're leaving too."

"Coming with us?"

"The Palmers are coming with us but not the rest of your friends."

"Do we have to have new names again and have secrets?"

"No Brynie, we're keeping our names and are not planning to have any secrets. There is one thing though. When we get first get there, we'll live in the ranch house with the Palmers, Granducky, Grandpa, and a lady we haven't met yet, who we'll call Grammie. She's an extra grandma like Grandpa is an extra grandpa."

That was the way the kids described Great-Grandparents. They understood the concept better now after their parents had drawn it out but they didn't like the word 'great' tacked on so they said Mac was an 'extra' grandfather and continued to call him Grandpa.

"That's good!"

"Yes. But when we hear the bad stuff is about to happen, we'll stay in a special house, a shelter house built just for us, to be extra safe. We'll stay in there for a few weeks until it's safe to come out."

"All of us?"

"Yes Brynie, all of us."

"How many people, Mommy?"

"80, Tyler."

"That's a lot of people! Do we know them all?"

"Almost all of them and by the time we go to the shelter house to stay we'll know everyone."

"Can we bring our toys with us and what about school?"

"You can bring some toys and we'll have teachers for you. Nonny will be one of them along with Aunt Jazzy and Aunt Eileen. And Victoria and your cousin Matt will be in class with you."

"That sounds okay."

"And there will be a garden so we can watch things grow."

"Can we take our pool?"

"Yes but we can't use it until after we move back into the ranch house."

"What about our bikes?"

"We'll have them at the house but we won't have room for them in the shelter house."

"When are we leaving?"

Tim took a deep breath. "In 8 days, on the 29th."

"Let's mark it on the calendar!"

One of the plans that had fallen off the schedule with the earlier departure date was the conversion of the diesel vehicles to vegetable or peanut oil. If there was time before, he and Dad would do it at the ranch, and nobody seemed to mind, figuring After would be fine too.

Tim had each vehicle owner order what they'd need and ship it to the ranch, which he figured by now was probably crammed full of shipping crates and boxes. Clothing, anything expensive such as the medical equipment, or edible items were shipped to the Ortiz ranch; everything else went to their ranch, which they had yet to name. Ellie and Tim's favorite was "Serenity" but nobody was thinking about names right now.

Tim and Ellie were amazed how much better they felt once the kids knew. Tyler and Brynie were old enough to help and trotted up and down the stairs with various items. Their new friend Mateo helped too. There was indeed a great deal of chaos and he was very glad to be here with these kind people.

All day Saturday, Tim and Ellie's laptops chimed with requests for Skype calls, their phones buzzed and chimed with texts and calls from friends, former co-workers and family in other parts of the country, wanting to know if they knew what was happening. They got so frustrated they asked Mateo and the kids to help answer the various devices.

One call they did take was from Tony who'd finally heard from Monique. She'd spoken with Ziva who was in an undisclosed but safe location. Their former teammate sent her love, thanking them for their concern and the new contact information, wishing them Godspeed.

A surprise phone call to Dad came from Rachel Cranston, wondering if he knew what was going on. Dad said later that it was interesting because Shannon was expecting a call from Sarah and didn't look at the caller id when she answered.

Shannon laughed, "I picked up the phone and said, "Sarah Elizabeth Gibbs, you had better be home and safe or I'm going to be upset with you!"

As she went on to tell the story, "A voice calmly said, 'Do I have the right number? I'm looking for Agent Jethro Gibbs.' So I said, 'Oh sure, Jethro's here although he's not an agent anymore. Hang on, I'll get him.' And yelled out, 'Honey, it's for you!"

Gibbs chuckled, "I get on the phone and this voice says, 'You're not an agent anymore?' I swear I thought it was Kate!"

"I said, 'I retired and this must be Doc Cranston.' It was and she asked me what I knew so I told her and then told her we were leaving for New Mexico, all of us. And she said 'All of who, your team?' Then I realized we haven't seen or talked with her since she gave you a referral to Dr. Christofani. I explained quickly and there was this dead silence until she said, 'I don't believe this' and almost hung up. I straightened her out and they're headed for California. Her husband's business partner has access to a private jet."

That interesting step down memory lane took Rachel Cranston off guard. She'd forgotten about her afternoon with Patricia Hull and the shocking call from Tim later, asking for help with the very same situation.

The call from Kate's sister along with the news from Monique gave them a break from sorting, washing, packing and hauling. Saturday night they watched "Mary Poppins" with Mateo, Poppy, Nonny, Kelly and Grandpa. The kids cheered and did their happy dance when Tim told them they would have movies to watch in the shelter house. Mateo was intrigued; he hadn't seen many children's movies and had never heard of the timeless English nanny.

Late Sunday Tim had an e-mail from Jerry that they were home. Leaving before dawn on Friday, they'd driven straight through to the Ortiz ranch, staying at the Gibbs' ranch and moved everything inside; Jerry attached a photo of the stacks of carefully placed boxes on the front porch. Saturday morning, they'd helped load the Ortiz horses and their own into large travel trailers and watched them roll down the driveway, on their way to Mexico.

They'd inspected the shelter, which Jerry reported was a massive thing that needed only the interior walls set up, the appliances and wiring installed. The walls would be fairly easy and quick to do; otherwise, it was ready for them. The generators, water tank, air scrubber, oxygen supply and air circulation pumps were in place along with the tunnels to the basement and the pet shelter. He jokingly said not to bring any kitchen sinks because there was a large one already built into the concrete.

They'd also checked out the pet shelter and thought it should be fine; the dividing wall was floor to ceiling in the last third of the pet entrance tunnel, the shelter and the pet tunnel; there was plenty of air from the air pumps. They'd hauled an old but functional manual treadmill from Oklahoma and left it on the dogs' side. They'd installed a small refrigerator in the middle part of the tunnel to the pet shelter. That could hold wet pet food for dogs, cats and any of the pets living in the main shelter. Inside the divided parts of the pet entrance tunnel, they'd bolted a five-shelf cabinet with doors for pet supplies, dry food, cat litter, etc. They'd brought the necessary supply of food for their dogs, labeled it with their names and left it in the cabinet.

The only thing to be done in there was the wiring and light placement which Tim would do as soon as they arrived. After he'd set up the electrical panel. The charter flight would carry the dog beds, cat trees and beds; those would be placed inside before the animals arrived. The transport people said the familiar scents would help settle the animals.

At the main shelter, the drainage and sewage pipes ran all the way under and away from it. The subcontractor installed a separate and much larger septic system for the shelter and established the leach field so that was done. Jerry remarked that they wouldn't be draining much water from the kitchen sink as he'd found a detergent that would allow them to water their plants with the gray water from washing dishes without rendering the vegetables and fruits inedible or unsafe.

While Jerry and John were away, the Gibbses talked to Barbara about the change in departure date and she agreed, relieved. "This maximum threat level without saying why can't last long. And we've told everyone we know and others we don't know. Many people here are building their own shelters. That's fine, I'm just glad we'll all be together. Too stressful otherwise. Did Jerry tell you we got the 20% discount on the shelter? Friends of friends bought a shelter from the same company."

That was welcome news, 20% was a large amount to knock off the price of the shelter. They went on to talk about water delivery; she'd sent them the quotes earlier and Tim had looked at the reviews for each company, now they selected one. The Bishops would make the arrangements but delivery wouldn't take place until everyone was there. They'd use local water district resources until they felt it was time.

When Tim spoke to Pete Ware about the earlier date, he too was relieved. "I'm glad Tim, very happy and I know the other drivers will be too. How are you doing getting things to the warehouse?"

"About half the group has moved stuff in and everyone is staying home to pack this weekend. I expect there will be a line of rental trucks lined up to unload on Monday. Several of us made three runs, got all the water and food moved over. The beds will be tricky but Dad's got it figured out. We might be bringing them to you as you're loading but they will all be in one place. How are things there?"

"A little panicky, lot of rumors flying around; I've seen excavators, backhoes and concrete forms in a few backyards, building shelters. A couple of the local schools put the word out that they have reinforced basements where people can shelter if necessary. My wife is very nervous about me going back east, this should ease her mind a little. But I'm not sure how I feel about her staying by herself."

"She doesn't have to be by herself, Pete. She could stay with our friends the Ortizes, either in the main house or in a guest cabin. The place is very secure and they're wonderful people. When will you leave home for the drive here?"

He told him and Tim grinned, "She'd be on her own for two days. My in-laws will arrive from Oklahoma early Friday evening. And our air passengers will be there on Saturday. She could move over from the Ortizes either day and stay in the house, cabins or barn. The barn is split into 20 small bedrooms downstairs and 15 slightly larger loft rooms upstairs with a full size kitchen downstairs plus a common area and several bathrooms. She can move in."

"That sounds like a great plan. Are there restrictions as to who stays where?"

"There are 12 bedrooms in the house plus a nursery and dormitories for the girls and boys. There's also a sofa bed in the library, two futons in the playroom and two more sofa beds in the family room. There are families with small children and we'll be using five of the bedrooms. We also want those aged 70 and up to stay in the house, there are six of them.

"If you have time, drive out and look in the windows of the cabins and the barn, see what you want to do. The Ortiz family has keys to the front gate and the buildings, if you want to go in and look, we'll let them know who you are and that you're coming to look and/or move in. They're good friends of ours and have been keeping an eye out on the place. Don't be alarmed if you see several packages and shipping crates, we've been buying online and having things shipped directly there. My father-in-law and one of his sons drove down from Tahlequah, delivering their horses to the Ortizes for safekeeping, bringing supplies and checking out the shelter."

"Wow, this is an even larger effort than I thought!"

"If this really happens, we won't be able to come home again, so yes. Lost my family when I was a kid, not doing that again, not if I can help it."

Pete promised to let Tim know what they decided and Tim disconnected with a weird feeling. This was really happening; they were leaving in a week. He thought about his loves flying to the ranch ahead of him and tried to shake off his thoughts. He needed to be here to supervise, make sure everything was done. Didn't he? But weren't his wife and children his first priorities? He was startled when his phone rang with a call from Geordie.

"Hey Bro, you all packed yet?"

"No and I have some bad news. A woman from Nate's assisted living just called. Tim, he…Nate's dead, died in his sleep; they found him this morning. He went to bed and that was it." Geordie paused, "He left envelopes with our names on them; we can pick them up during the week. The lady said he'd left instructions that he doesn't want a service of any kind, that he wanted us to remember him as whole and alive, not some shrunken old dead guy. She read that to me. His clothes are going to the thrift store and he'll be cremated with his ashes scattered in the park like we did with Juanita."

Tim managed to choke words out. "Oh God Geordie."

"I know."

Both were silent for nearly a full minute, thinking of their lost friend. Tim finally said with a sigh, "Ok, he didn't want a service but we're going to the shelter to give out bus tickets. We could at least have a cup of coffee in remembrance."

"Yeah, that's a good idea. He wouldn't mind that, those were his people too."

"I can't - do you think he took something? Not wanting to go but knowing we'd never leave him?"

"He might have, I was a little surprised when he finally agreed but then Sarah always could get her way with him."

"We could ask for an autopsy, but I'm not sure it matters. He wouldn't want anyone to go to any trouble."

"He's with Juanita now Tim, you know how much he's missed her."

Tim nodded. "Yeah. Wow. I can't wrap my head around this. Nate's gone. How are you doing with this?"

Geordie sighed. "We suspected he wouldn't last long without having Juanita to take care of. But suspecting it and then having it happen are two different things. Right now, I'm numb but I'm also starting to feel a sense of loss. He took care of us, Tim. We're here, at least in part, because he watched out for us. Maybe we would have survived anyway but I don't think we'd be as…I guess balanced is the word I want. He was there and so was Juanita in her own way. I remember my first night at the camp after my dad died. A shelter resident who'd stayed at the camp took me over and introduced me to Nate. I'd seen him at the shelter, big scary looking guy. Anyway, he asked how old I was and how I was doing in school. Then he started walking, told me to follow him. He said there were other boys my age sharing a tent and he thought I should stay with them. Then he told me his rules; I had to stay in school, study hard and no fighting. Bill was there and he just pointed to a spot and said that I should sleep there in the middle, I'd be warmer and that it took time to get used to sleeping in a tent after the shelter. I didn't have a sleeping bag but Nate let me use the spare one. I used that for months before a guy took off without his stuff. That bag was in better shape so I got it along with some clothes. Nate kept an eye on me too. Showed me a few tricks to find money and food. Just like he did with you."

"Yeah, I remember. Both times. When we came back after I was hurt, he took me to the clinic to make sure I was healing all right. And he started calling me Timmo, like you. I liked that, made me feel like we were kind of a family."

"We were, Bro. And that evolved into the four of us as family and close friends with the guys."

Tim sighed, "Guess so. Want to split calls?"

"Yeah, that'd be good."

They divvied up the names: Sarah, Rob, Ms. Lu, Barry, Bill, Freddie, Jose, Big John and a few others who'd been friendly with the big guy. They were difficult calls to make and Tim cried with Sarah, Freddie and Barry. Jose was out and Freddie would break the news to him.

Tim had also taken Big John's name; when he called the house in Texas, his brother answered. After Tim told him the news, the brother sighed. "John said he wouldn't last long after Juanita died."

"Yeah, we all thought that. Just - we're leaving town, moving to New Mexico and Nate agreed to go with us. I wonder if he knew he wouldn't make it."

"You're leaving DC?"

"Yeah, family and friends, close to 80 of us."

"Because of whatever this is that's happening?"

"Yes, they're expecting a nuclear attack on DC and possibly other military targets. Might not happen but the government is doing what they can to prepare and prevent. My siblings, the guys and I are going to the shelter this week, giving out one way bus tickets to get them out of danger. And Ms. Lu, who runs the shelter, is coming with us."

"Unbelievable! You gonna have some sort of bomb shelter?"

"Yes, we have one in place. Randy, there's a website online with instructions on how to build them. You're probably fine out there in West Texas but we're west of you and we're going in. I don't know how many targets or strikes there will be."

"Holy shit, Tim! Can you tell me the name of the website?"

Tim sent him a text with the link. In the meantime, they agreed that Randy would tell his brother about Nate. Tim finished his calls and sat by himself, mourning his friend. Ellie and Mom were at the park with the kids and Grandpa was helping Dad. Mateo was here, so was Kelly. Making a decision, he poked his head into the garage. "I'm going down to Dad's."

"Ok, we'll be here."

Kelly watched her brother walk down the street, his shoulders slumped; he was upset about something. Something new.

When he walked into Dad's house, his father looked at him, taking a quick, deep breath. "Who?"

"Nate. Someone called Geordie. Died in his sleep."

He blinked and then exhaled as strong arms wrapped around him. "I'll always be grateful to him for helping you kids."

Tim nodded into Dad's shoulder, moving his head a little so he could talk. "I think he knew he didn't have long but told us he'd go so we wouldn't fuss at him."

"You mean he knew he wouldn't live long enough to go?" That was Grandpa.

"Yes. Sarah could always get her way with him so he said yes knowing he wouldn't be going. And then he let go."

Grandpa had his arms wrapped around him now too and through his grief, Tim acknowledged how good it felt to be cocooned by his father and grandfather. Mac sighed, "This sounds like a cliché, son, but it must have been his time. And it was easier for him to say yes and make you all happy."

Tim nodded, shaken and suddenly exhausted. His dad tapped him on the head, "Come on Timson, you need to sit." He moved with his father, sitting on the couch, leaning into him, Dad's arms wrapped around him again. They sat that way for several minutes before they heard car doors slamming shut and feet walking up the steps to the front porch. Mac went to the door, giving each of his grandchildren a hug and kiss as they came in, Geordie, Rob and Sarah. They went straight to Tim and the four of them wrapped up together somehow, mourning Nate, the scary looking man who'd kept them as safe as he could, who made them all sleep in the locked-from-the-inside restroom when he sensed there was trouble brewing. Who laughed and told stories to them and when they were grown, about them. Who scared off bullies more than once with his mere presence. Who gave hell to any kid he thought was slipping in school or hanging out with the wrong people. Who made sure there was a blazing fire in the oil drum on cold winter nights, even if he and Big John had to stay up all night feeding it. Who woke them when the temperatures got too low and walked them to the shelter, carrying the smallest child. The one who walked around with a cell phone asking who needed shoes and other things. Who always went to help when Ms. Lu or anyone at the shelter needed him to deal with someone out of control. Who patched tents, taught kids how to make patches and sew and who took care of his troubled sister his entire life. Who never asked for a thing when the kids were grown and wanted to help. The one who agreed to uproot his life, again, to make Timmo, Geo, Sari, Robbie, Bill, Barry, Freddie, and Jose happy.

Tim thought that he'd been wrong about Nate not being a parental figure. He wasn't obvious about it and he might not have intended to be but he was more of a parent than many kids had. He meant safety for the kids and a sense of home, no matter how warped that might be for a bunch of orphans living in raggedy tents at a transient camp.

They were still sitting there when there were more car doors and feet on the porch, Barry, Bill, Jose, and Freddie. There wasn't room on the couch so they sat on the floor and hung onto their friends as best they could. Mac found a box of tissues and handed it to Jose who took one and passed it along. Then Dad and Mac disappeared to the back deck.

When Ellie, Shannon, and the kids returned from the park, they saw familiar cars down the street and Kelly and Mateo working diligently inside the house. Shannon asked her daughter what was going on.

"I don't know, I heard Tim on the phone and then he said he was going to your house and he never came back."

"Your brothers and sister are there too."

"Uh oh."

Ellie frowned, "Tony's car isn't there. But the plumbing truck is – has to be something to do with the camp or shelter. Oh geez, Nate."

Asking the others to stay with the kids, she ran down the street and into the house. When she saw the bodies clumped together, she found Tim's hand and touched it. "Honey, is it Nate?"

Tim took her hand and she frowned, he was ice cold on a warm summer day. "Yes, Ellie. He died in his sleep."

She slid down to sit on the floor, still holding Tim's hand, Jose and the guys scooting over to give her room. She reached over and grabbed Jose's hand, they were all holding on to each other, thinking for a moment before speaking.

"I'm so sorry; I'm going to miss big Nate too. When Tim and Jethro were away, he kept my spirits up; every time I saw him, he'd tell me a little story about Tim and say he'd be home soon. He had a good heart, he was so proud of all of you. You made him happy you know, you guys. He told me after Juanita died that he felt like his life hadn't been a waste no matter what he looked like or that he lived in a tent. His sister lived as peacefully as she could and had a little happiness and he'd been able to help you a little. I told him it was more than a little, that he'd been an anchor for you, all of you. He knew that, guys. He knew you loved him."

Shannon had followed her in and now stood listening; wishing she'd made more of an effort to get to know the man. She'd been to the camp a few times before Juanita died, but was racked with guilt and anger that her kids had had to live there and couldn't get past that. And frankly, the old man scared her no matter how often her family told her he wouldn't hurt her or them. She tried to mask it but she could barely stand to listen to any of their stories about their lives at the camp, it made her sick to her stomach. She'd sucked it up but the underlying feelings were still there. And now she was ashamed of herself for the relief she felt that the old man wouldn't be with them in New Mexico.

She went out to the backyard where she found her husband and father grilling hot dogs. When she asked why, Jethro said, "Once or twice a year, someone would bring meat to the camp and it was always hot dogs. It's comfort food for them."

"Oh. Do we have buns?"

Her father nodded, "Yes, but we have to burn them. The kids say Nate never got the hang of toasting them so the buns were always burnt."

She smiled. "How about condiments?"

"Ketchup only, they rarely had anything else. Geordie says the most common item they'd pull out of the fast food dumpsters were packets of ketchup."

"Chips, drinks?"

Jethro stopped to think, "Fritos and Coke. After Tim stayed here with me, I made sure to always have some on hand. They're comfort food and drink along with the dogs and the burned buns."

He looked at Shannon, "They'll pour the ketchup on, line the buns with crunched up Fritos and their hot dogs." He smiled, "Don't be alarmed when they take the unopened bags of chips and smash them with their feet."

"I've never seen them do that."

Jethro just nodded while Mac said, "They don't do it around you, honey; they know you don't like it."

She sighed, "I wish I could hide it better."

The men grinned at her and she frowned, "What?"

Her husband explained, "They don't hold it against you, they decided it was a Mom thing and none of them remember having a mom so they accepted it as that. Actually, I think Barbara might have come up with that. She went to the camp with Tim and Jerry once and came away horrified but they'd helped Tim shop at Costco before they went so she focused on people needing shoes and how happy folks were with the treats they brought. And how one guy stepped up and said he could grill the chicken I'd sent. Plus Tim helped someone get set up for a job hunt and she said that felt good. Nate didn't scare her but he was busy with the others. And he was a big fan of Ellie's so that helped a lot. A whole different kind of visit than your first one."

"Because positive things happened?"

"Yeah, Tim says when you went the first time it was frigid cold, people were miserable, a lot of them had colds and Nate was fighting one too. And he had a headache; he'd been up all night with Juanita and didn't feel like talking. So he probably acted cranky and he was scary looking on his good days. No one's said he was an angel but he tried to help."

Shannon angrily shook her head, "They shouldn't have been there, none of them! Not any of those kids sitting in there. They should have had homes and someone to love them."

"We did, Mom. Our homes were tents and maybe we didn't exactly have traditional parental love but we had someone who cared about us, who did his best to help, who pushed us to go to school and do our homework so we'd get out - and we knew that."

"Oh Timiny, I'm so sorry you've lost someone you loved."

She wrapped her arms around him and felt him relax as he said. "He was old and hurting. Older than we thought, the lady who called Geordie said he was 87. When we were younger, he could do anything. He probably hurt then too; maybe he was better at hiding it. But I'm here, all of us camp kids are here because of him." He sighed, "He hated us taking care of him. We knew that but I guess we wore him down."

His father looked at him, petting the top of his head. "No, he worried about all of you being stuck with him and the camp. He was torn between feeling good, feeling proud that you took care of everyone and hating that you kept coming back."

"Why?"

"Because he didn't want any of you to feel obligated. He wanted you to be free of the whole place, wanted you to leave your homeless history behind you. He had to be there for his sister but you didn't, not any longer. He said you'd spent more than enough time there and he didn't want you to make it a lifelong habit to take care of people who should take care of themselves. When his sister started going downhill, when Robbie said she only had days left, I told him what you guys had planned for him and Juanita; he was so upset he yelled at me, told me to get the hell out of the camp. Ellie and I went back and talked with him later and again after his sister died. Once he understood that if he left the camp, it would shut down and you guys would be out from under taking care of everyone, he willingly went to assisted living. And Shannie, he hated that they were there, as kids and as adults. He said nearly the same thing to me that you just said, but they were there so he did what he could."

Mac barked, "Jethro, you're burning the buns!"

That got a laugh from the boys and Sarah, who'd followed Tim and Ellie outside. When Mateo and Kelly appeared with the kids, Shannon passed out the bags of chips and watched with a smile as every single one of the former camp kids smashed the bags under their feet and then sprinkled them onto the ketchup soaked burned buns. They sat on the steps of the deck and on the lawn below, drinking their cokes, eating their hot dogs in burned buns with too much ketchup and smashed up chips, telling stories about ol' Nate, the 'mountain on two legs'.

As the sun disappeared and first dusk and then dark settled in, they cleaned up the trash and saying goodnight, the guys left while Tim and his brothers each carried a child home, Sarah and Ellie leading the way, Kelly and Mateo bringing up the rear, all four carrying flashlights.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a question from a reader on another site and with her agreement, I thought I'd share the question and my answer. Her question: "...I did have a question regarding Fallout, was this inspired by current events?"
> 
> Fallout is not based on current world events. I wrote all three stories (Serendipity, Ripples and Fallout) over the summer of 2016 and deliberately set Fallout in the future, the year 2019, to avoid making any of the current newsmakers responsible for the threat/would-be attackers. As you'll see below, I have updated a couple things since then but not the 'whodunit'.

 

Chapter 13

Monday, June 24th, 2019

When Tim woke early Monday morning, his grief had settled in a bit, he wasn't feeling the wild emotions he'd had yesterday. His sweet Eleanor distracted him with her hot sexy ways last night and that helped considerably. While the coffeemaker brewed, he plugged in the electric kettle to heat water for the tea Ellie now drank in the morning. With ingredients including ginger and mint, it helped vanquish any lingering morning sickness.

As nobody else was up yet, Mac's bedroom door was closed and Mateo was downstairs in the playroom, Tim found quiet things to do. He spent some time catching up with the journal he was keeping of current events and then worked on his newest manuscript for another hour. After that, he puttered around the house quietly sorting more books and other facets of their lives. Logging on to his work e-mail he smiled at the note from his techs who'd been heading for Galveston. They'd arrived safely on Saturday and were settling in. They were the last group to check in, the others had arrived safely Friday, the Chicago group departing close to midnight Thursday night, and thanked him for persuading them to leave early.

When he saw new cases assigned to his former group, he split them between Seattle, Galveston, Great Lakes and San Diego, copying AD Ferrer, the assistant director appointed after the death of Owen Granger. Updating the logs and status reports, he also sent those to Ferrer and then went to work on the case he held back. Hours later, he received a message from the AD asking when he was bugging out. He sent their new departure date, finished the work he'd done on the case and reassigned it to one of his former staff, updating logs, status and once again copying Ferrer. The Assistant Director replied he was glad Gibbs was working but not to neglect his evacuation preparations.

Mac and Mateo eventually woke, followed by the kids and finally Ellie. After breakfast, they looked to see what the traffic was doing and when it seemed things were calmer, Mateo decided to return to his apartment for the rest of his belongings. As he rented a furnished apartment, he had very little to move and would sleep on one of the rollaway beds while in the shelter. He'd been offered a new bed, declining with thanks.

When Tim stepped outside, he noticed Kelly's car was gone from their parents' driveway, remembered she was working today and wondered if that's why Mateo took off. His sister certainly found their new friend interesting!

Ellie logged on to NCIS and saw a note from Tony that they were working cold cases the rest of the week. She laughed, showing Tim the little animated figure rubbing an eyebrow. But he'd assigned cold cases to everyone so she got busy.

Tim brought the truck around and loaded it up with what they'd packed over the weekend. He smiled when he spotted his mother walking down the sidewalk. "I'm your helper today. Sarah will watch the kids; Bob's helping your dad and doing some work. Are they really working?"

Tim shrugged, "Yes. I worked for a few hours this morning. If we work, we're paid and have benefits. The note they had from Tony basically said if you're up to it work, otherwise forget about it."

"He said that?"

"No. We have a signal to indicate that what we're saying is not necessarily what we mean and he used that."

"I don't understand."

"Have you ever seen Dad rub his eyebrow at me?"

"Oh, yes I have."

"That generally means accept what I'm saying but it's not really what I mean or what's really happening. It's a signal Boss and Leon cooked up between them a few years ago and we all use it. Tobias says his boss even used it with him once and when he asked Leon about it he just laughed."

"Huh. That'd be useful when you want to get a message across but can't say anything."

"Very useful. All right, Helper Mama, the truck is just about full of boxes and I want to make a run to the warehouse. Do you want to drive the truck or the van?"

"I can do either. You want to load both?"

"Yep. And the Challenger is available so we'll take the kids' seats out of the van and leave them in case of emergency."

The two of them walked back into the garage and started loading more boxes. Shannon looked at the photo pinned to the wall of Tim washing the Boxster with a tiny Tyler and an even tinier Bryn helping him. "Do you ever miss your Porsche?"

Tim smiled at the memories. "Oh yeah, she was sweet. Sarah and Rob talked me into buying her when my first books hit it big. And I wouldn't let anyone else drive it. Until the littles came into our lives and there was no way," he rearranged three boxes to fit better, "no way I could get two kid seats in a two seater car. Dad and I traded so whoever was with the kids had the Challenger with the kids' seats. I finally traded her in." He chuckled as he loaded more boxes. "When we bought the van, we were at the same dealership and the sales guy remembered me trading in the Boxster." Smiling, he took the photo down, folding it and putting it in his pocket.

After finishing with the truck, tying a tarp over it, Shannon ducked into the backyard, stopping to visit with Neo for a minute and then out the back gate to bring the van around front. Tim stuck his head inside, "Hon, Mom and I are taking both the van and the truck to the warehouse. The Challenger will be in the driveway with the kids' seats and the keys are on the kitchen counter. Neo's in the backyard."

"All right, how long will you be gone?"

"About an hour, there's no use shopping until the stores are restocked."

"What do we still need?"

"Don't know; I haven't looked at the spreadsheet this morning."

She pulled it up, studying it. "We're covered for food, baby food, fish, turtle, parakeet, and dog food. We could probably use more baby gear, not newborn but sizes from 3 months up to 12."

"Ok, diapers too?"

"Oh yeah, we know from Lia there's no such thing as having too many diapers!"

"Good point."

"And warm baby stuff too, Sweetie. Jackets, leggings, hats, mittens, warm footwear."

He smiled, "Mom will love that. Maybe we'll go after all." He took a deep breath and said in a rush, "Eleanor, I'm coming with you on the plane."

She turned to him with a big smile, her eyes glistening. "I'm so glad, so relieved! I know it's been bothering you but I felt it was your decision." She pulled his head down to give him a kiss.

"Got bogged down in all this stuff, almost forgot my first priority, you and our children. And that means I go with you."

She smiled softly, "Whither thou goest…"

He kissed her back and then jumped when his mother honked the horn. She'd backed into the garage, the kitchen door was propped open and the horn echoed loudly. It was so loud even Neo, normally a very quiet dog, gave a surprised bark. Laughing, Tim hurried out to the garage, feeling a huge weight removed from his shoulders and his heart.

They quickly loaded the van and then Tim wrestled with the kids' seats while Shannon brought the Challenger over. They installed all three seats and looked at each other, hoping they wouldn't be needed. A baby seat and seats for two school age children was a tight squeeze but they got them in securely. Tim smiled "Mama, we should have the Challenger towed or put in one of the moving vans."

Shannon's heart always did a back flip when Tim or any of her kids called her Mama. "Why, Sweetie?"

"Because it's a link to Grandpa Jack. He rebuilt it and then waited for over a decade to give it to Dad."

"When you went to Stillwater on a case?"

Tim nodded.

"You want to surprise him?"

"Yeah, the day the trucks are unloaded at the ranch."

"He might be angry."

"Nah. He'll put on a good act but he won't mean it."

She chuckled, "It never ceases to amaze me how well you know your father."

He grinned at her, "Worked for him for over a decade. If I hadn't known him well, I wouldn't have made it that long."

They were back in the garage, poking their heads inside to let the others know they were leaving.

On their way to the warehouse, traffic was calm with a little less volume than usual although they knew from the news there'd been trouble over the weekend. Before they left, he told his mother he was flying with his wife and children and was not surprised when she thoroughly approved.

When they arrived at the warehouse, Tim laughed at the vehicles backed up, family and friends busily unloading boxes and furniture. The Vances were just finishing, they'd brought the rental truck, the SUV and their two young adults.

The DiNozzos, Jimmy, and another Slater son-in-law, this one named Ryan, Geordie, Bec, and a woman Tim thought must be Bec's aunt were all busy unloading. Tim took his first load in and nodded as he looked around. Everything was still in priority order and several more beds had appeared. He looked out, beckoning everyone inside. Locking their vehicles, they joined him.

"We've officially moved the date up with the movers; they'll be here on Friday, stay over and load up on the 29th. We'll have 4 moving vans and the drivers will be armed. It's up to you drivers but consider forming a caravan with them and making sure a Fed is in the lead, middle and last vehicle."

Tony looked confused, "You drivers?"

Tim smiled, "Rule 51; my priorities got a little muddled, Tony. I'm flying on the charter with my wife and children."

He was a little embarrassed at the cheers and applause that brought but shrugged it off. Leon pulled him aside, "I'm relieved! I know my family, the Palmers and the Bishops will be awesome but I'd really miss working with you."

Tim smiled as Bec introduced them to her aunt Mel. "I'm so glad to meet you!"

She cracked a smile, "I find a pre-trip introduction is always a good thing when you're going to be living together in a concrete cave."

His mom chuckled, "That's what I've been calling it too."

They chatted as they unloaded and Tim and Bec exchanged glances, glad they were bonding so quickly. The Vances took off saying they had some shopping to do and Tim grinned as his father's old pickup pulled up, truck bed piled high with Sarah and Rob in the cab.

"Ah, good, putting the ancient one to use. Sarah, I thought you were at Dad's?"

"We were but he told us to bring this over; Bob's still there and I'll help Ellie later, Grandpa's there now. And hey, the truck still runs!"

Tony grinned, "It's a Gibbs' vehicle; it wouldn't dare not run! Reminds me of an old Woody Allen movie, "Sleeper". It's set in the far future and the lead character finds an old VW Bug, turns the key and it starts right up."

Tim laughed and looked around, "That's the one with the orgasmatron, right?"

"Oh yeah." Tony paused, "Jethro sent out an e-mail last night about Nate. I'm so sorry, Tim."

Tim found that today he could talk about Nate without choking up too much. "Grandpa says it must have been his time. We think he knew he didn't have long and agreed to come with us to make us happy and to keep us from fussing over him."

"He led a useful life, taking care of all of you when you were there, and the camp."

"That he did, Tony."

Jimmy and Ryan the brother-in-law left to pick up another load while the others stayed to help Rob and Sarah. With so many helpers it took less than ten minutes to empty Dad's old pickup and locking up, they all took off. The DiNozzos had a rental truck for today and tomorrow and wanted to get everything in, even their beds. The Colonel would sleep in the chair where he said he frequently slept anyway; the chair would travel to its new home in the Mercedes.

Tim was amused to see that one corner of the warehouse now had furniture and oddball items piled in it with a sign on the top of the heap that read, "If there's room and anyone wants it." There were several items he didn't think came from the same household.

Shannon insisted on shopping for the baby and Tim went along too. They had a great time buying all kinds of baby clothes in different sizes. They had a few things of Lia's and knew Breena would pass along Ricky's things but it would be months before the new baby would fit into them. It would be nice to have another boy, a brother for Tyler and the girls. He noticed his mother mostly staying away from any girly looking clothes and asked about it. She smiled, "You're having a boy; I just know it. Do you have names picked out?"

His mother had two outfits she was holding up as she spoke, one was pink with ruffles and the other was overalls with a long sleeved tee shirt. Tim grinned, they hadn't told anyone yet. "Mom, the pink's cute and I'm all for not stereotyping but the outfit with the overalls is more practical; besides, Dad will have a fit if you buy your new grandson anything with ruffles."

"Ruffles? OH, you're having a boy; I knew it! Did you have another ultrasound? And what about names?"

He told her about the "Y-chromosome" test, adding "McKenzie Gerard. If it was a girl, we would have called her McKenzie Shanarbra."

"What the heck - is that a combination of Shannon and Barbara? I'm glad you're not sticking the poor child with that! You know, I almost named you McKenzie but I love the name Timothy and it just seemed right."

Tim laughed, "It's probably a good thing. I would have been McKenzie McGee!"

His mother chuckled as she rolled her eyes at him. She was used to hearing the name McGee occasionally, after all her older daughter and two of her sons had been McGees for much of their lives. Then she smiled, remembering the day they'd all signed the adoption papers so that all of Jethro's kids were really hers too. Even Tony who thought about it when asked, finally saying, "My mom's been gone a long time, I'm sure she'd approve."

He'd laughed when he realized that meant he was legally Shannon's son but still not Gibbs' and teased his former boss about being his 'stepfather'. As he said, "Makes a nice change from the endless round of stepmothers!"

Tim and Shannon were in line for the cashier now and grinned as Lara and Jared Vance pushed carts to the checkout next to them. "Hey there!"

The two waved and Lara peeked at their cart, "Hello! Ooh, shopping for baby, how fun!"

That was the extent of the conversation as the cashier handled their merchandise; they waved to the Vances as they left.

Home again, Tim found Ellie and the kids excited about something. "What's going on?"

"Look!"

He sat down at her laptop and read an e-mail from his sister. She said she and Bob had made a decision while packing, they'd decided to get married before they hit the road and had scheduled their wedding for 10:00 Tuesday at the civil offices for the District of Columbia. There was room for 30 guests and they wanted the family with them.

While Tim was rereading the notice, a new e-mail popped into Ellie's inbox, this one from Geordie. He and Bec had made the same decision and with the court clerk and Sarah and Bob's approval, they'd have a double wedding.

"Ellie, you gotta come see this!"

She squealed when she saw the second notice. "Honey, your sister texted me that Maisie has Lily's wedding dress and they're meeting somewhere to try it on. Bec and I are the same height and close to the same build, I'd like to loan her my wedding dress."

Tim looked at her, "You'll get it back, right?"

"Yes, why I said 'loan' and not give."

"Good, because I hope you'll wear that for me many more times."

"We'll definitely get it back." Her eyes twinkled as she turned away, calling Bec.

Not wanting to be caught in the sudden wedding plans and noticing Bob's car was no longer parked down the street; Tim sent a text to his father to see if he needed any help. He laughed when the reply came, "PLEASE!"

He told Ellie he was going down the street, taking Tyler and Brynie with him, leaving a napping Lia behind. He found his father and grandfather loading boxes and furniture into Dad's truck. He grinned at them and they shook their heads. "We've lost your mother for the rest of the day."

"Yeah, Ellie's on the phone with Bec, offering to loan her wedding dress."

"Wonder how Bob and Geordie are coping?"

Mac stayed back with the kids while father and son made a trip to the warehouse. They laughed themselves silly when they found Bob and Geordie, each with a truck, helping each other unload. "Need help, grooms?"

"Dad, Bec's gone crazy!"

"Sarah too."

"Welcome to Wedding 101, boys! Just be glad it's happening quickly!"

Bob shook his head. "Captain Hubbard is dropping his mother at our place and then delivering a load here. I think the other guy, the Admiral, has a truckload too."

"Smart of you not to wait around."

"Is it?"

"Yes, we're going to miss at least a half day tomorrow, can't lose any more time than that."

"I called the courthouse to ask if we could bring a laptop for a Skype session so my parents could be with us and they said yes, we can use their wifi."

Tim nodded, "Good thinking, Bob, I'll get that set up for you tomorrow."

"Thanks Tim. I had another idea. Sarah's going to wear her mother's dress but not the hat/veil thing. I'm sure the dress has been cleaned but probably not the…" he gestured to his head. "What would you think of checking it for DNA and getting it into the databases? I know we have uh, the grandmother and Captain Hubbard's DNA but not Lily's."

Tim nodded, "That's a good idea. Make sure Mrs. Hubbard brings it and you can get it to a lab."

"Maybe we could send it to Abby wherever she lands After."

That earned him a smile from his new brother-in-law and his new father-in-law/former boss clapped him on the back, "Like the way you think!"

They were just finishing with all three trucks when three more rolled in: DiNozzo and Maggie on their second trip, Captain Hubbard and they guessed Admiral Crane. The two retired officers had large rental trucks and the others offered to stay and help. After introducing everyone to the Admiral who insisted on being called Dave and held on to Tim for several teary minutes, Jim's eyes twinkled as he looked at the others. "Wouldn't have anything to do with staying away from wedding planners, would it?"

There was a collective groan and then Maggie said, "I feel I should say something in defense of wedding planners but there's a reason Tony and I got married in Las Vegas."

They laughed at that too and then got busy unloading. Tim worked with Dave, asking what he called him and his wife when he was little. The man beamed at him, "Uncle Dave and Aunty Liz, although when you were small it was more like Unca Dave and Liz was Aunty Wiz until you and Patrick mastered your 'L's'."

Tim smiled, commenting, "My daughter Brynie had problems with Ls too. Do you mind if I call you Uncle Dave and Aunty Liz? I mean, you're my godparents and I uh..." he blinked back tears as his godfather pulled him in for another hug.

The group finished unloading and was taking a break in the shade when Uncle Jim had a text from his mother; she was ready to be picked up, the dress fit perfectly. Bob twisted his lips, "Think it's safe for me too?"

His father-in-law looked at him, "How many more loads do you have?"

"Two, I think."

"I'd get those done if I were you."

They looked up as Mateo pulled up in his car. "Hi everyone! Thought I'd bring my stuff over today."

His 'stuff' was a lamp, a tiny table, a chair and a box of clothes. It took about 30 seconds to get them into the warehouse. He looked around, "Anyone need any help?"

Bob grinned "Oh yes please, leave your car and come with me!"

As the Gibbses and DiNozzos returned to the warehouse several times that day, they frequently encountered Bob and Mateo. At one point Bob said, "I didn't even know we had this much stuff!"

Tim grinned, from what he could see it was mostly books and clothes with some furniture: an antique desk that Sarah purchased with proceeds from her first book, a couple of comfortable looking chairs, and a small dining table and chairs. After telling Mateo he was welcome to stay with the Gibbses until 'D-day', they waved as Bob and his helper left.

Mateo's car was gone on their last run. Tim and Dad did an inventory, counting appliances, sofas, beds, dining tables with chairs plus recliners and casual chairs. They had 45 sofas of varying sizes, 4 electric ovens, 5 upright freezers, one of which Tim marked with a red X as it needed rewiring, 5 microwaves, and 4 toaster ovens, one of which also got a red X as the cord was frayed. 16 beds, 10 with box springs and 6 with accompanying platform framework, 6 dining tables and chairs (including Ducky's), 7 recliners (including one of the Gibbs'), 8 casual chairs, and a large desk that looked like it had come from a ship. They'd helped carry that in from Uncle Dave's truck; it belonged to Penny or rather the late Admiral McGee, Sarah's paternal grandfather.

Penny would try to join them in Albuquerque but said she had other safe places to stay if she didn't get there. She'd only wanted a few things from her house: her bed, the Admiral's desk and chair, a large painting from her living room, wrapped to take on the charter flight, two large boxes of photo albums and her clothing.

Returning to the warehouse inventory, they counted 2 toddler beds, 1 bassinet and a child-sized table with 4 chairs, 2 dressers, 1 television and 1 DVD/VHS player. When they finished, they moved the two red X'd items off to the side, glad the old freezer had been left on a small dolly and Tim stopped to look at the "If there's room" pile which had grown considerably. He marked three additional items there as unusable and moved them over with the X'd items. As they moved away, Dad nudged Tim and they retrieved the dolly from under the old freezer.

Completing their work, they headed home for another load. This time they took the dining room table and chairs, Tim's recliner, the rocking chairs, the kids' small table and chairs, padded folding chairs, new patio chairs purchased last summer, boxes of carefully sorted toys, garden tools and all their garden tools, toys and gizmos, boxed, labeled and inventoried.

From the senior Gibbses they took Jethro's sawhorses, a box of unfinished toys and boxes from the attic that Mom said held quilts along with things that had come from her Fielding grandmother, Mac's mother. Mac had his box of heirloom family jewelry and Dad grabbed the Gibbs' box. Those would go with the quilt boxes on the plane.

On second thought, Tim pulled out two boxes of the kids' toys to also go on the plane. Dad made several bundles of wood, cut and uncut, securing them together, marking each bundle with tags and placed them in the truck. Then they dismantled his workbench, stuck labels on each piece and carried it to the truck. A few more boxes went in as Shannon packed and labeled them and they drove off to the warehouse.

Jim and Maisie were there unloading more of what they'd gathered from Penny's house. Maisie, also known as Gram or Grammie, hadn't yet met adult Tim in person and he held her closely as she shook in his arms, crying. She seemed like a nice person, he wished he remembered her. She was happy to meet his father, saying she'd been shocked to learn of Timothy's kidnapping. Dad said something diplomatic and Jim quickly changed the subject, understanding the topic was painful for all of them.

Bob returned with another load, asking Gram about Lily's wedding headdress; she loved the idea of having her long dead daughter's DNA registered in the national databases. On a roll, Bob asked if he could go to Penny's house and if she thought Penny would mind if they looked for something of Admiral McGee's, to do the same thing and Maisie patted his face. "She won't mind, she'll love it as much as I do. We'll go back with you; I'm sure we can find something of Dan and Mark's too. She kept a few things and I know where everything is."

When Bob and Tim looked surprised, Jim explained, "Within two years of the car crash, Penny lost her entire family. Mum folded her into our family and she's been part of it ever since. She's a second grandmother to my kids, sends postcards from wherever she goes, always brings gifts for them, spends holidays with us when she's home. She and Mum are close friends."

The others nodded, understanding that the Hubbard-McGee-Crane family was as tightly knit as the Gibbs-Mallard clan.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The Gibbses originally planned to head home but Tim wanted to see Penny's house and his father admitted his own curiosity. When the Hubbards were ready, Bob, Tim, and Jethro followed them to Arlington. The house was large, multi-storied on a heavily wooded lot, Maisie said the property was 5 or 6 acres. There were a few outbuildings with an indoor pool and tennis court.

Although the Hubbards had a key, the caretaker met them at the front steps, surprised to see them again. He greeted Uncle Jim and Gram Maisie but when he turned to be introduced to the others, he stared in shock at Tim. Jim patted Tim's shoulder, "Timothy, Mr. Madden has been the caretaker here since before you were born."

Tim nodded as Jim explained the situation to the older man. The man nodded, turning back to Tim, "Welcome back, young man! It's wonderful that you and your baby sister survived, I'm sure Dr. Langston is thrilled." He smiled, "I only met little Sarah a couple of times and now she's getting married, that's great! And you, Tim, you look the same, only grown up."

Tim nodded, "Grown up, married with 3 kids with another on the way."

"Wonderful, that's wonderful. I won't hold you up any longer, I know we're all in a hurry to pack up and get away."

"When are you leaving?"

"Thursday and thank you again Captain, for the warning. My eldest daughter, son-in-law, grandson and I are driving a U-Haul and my RV, towing our cars to Denver. My granddaughter and her family live there; her husband is halfway through building a shelter for all of us in their backyard. Sounds like we'll have more room than I thought and everything we need."

After wishing him well, they entered the house. Maisie headed straight for the stairs and the others followed, carrying packing boxes and tape. Jim gave them a tour while Maisie started looking for the boxes she'd mentioned. When Tim saw the room he and Patrick stayed in when they were visiting, he looked closely at everything, wishing he could remember.

Shaking off his slight melancholy, he was glad he could see the house at least once. He helped Gram and the others go through closets and boxes looking for anything of the three McGee men that might have DNA on it. They found one of the Admiral's covers and his wedding ring and Bob used a tissue to carefully put both into plastic food storage bags. Tim found adhesive labels in a kitchen drawer and labeled each bag.

While they didn't find any clothing for Sarah's father, they did find his USNA class ring, which Maisie thought he'd left here the last time he and the children visited. "I don't know why, Penny thought it was odd but I suppose because men don't usually wear two rings and he had a wedding band from his marriage to Natalie." She sighed, "That wasn't real, was it?"

Jethro shook his head, "No, she faked the whole thing and somehow prevented the Navy from knowing about her so that she was never vetted."

Tim looked at the ring and then tightening his lips, wrapped it and put it in another baggie. This time Bob labeled it. "You want it?"

Tim shook his head, "I don't have a claim to it."

Maisie overheard them and frowned, "Certainly you do, Timothy. He may not have been your biological father but Dan McGee loved you as his son."

Tim had already decided he'd take it but would give it to Sarah after the DNA test. Seeing the resolution in his son's eyes, Jethro smiled to himself, guessing at the plan. Next, they found Dan McGee's first wedding ring, from his marriage to Sarah's mother Lily. Maisie sighed, "After he and Natalie married he didn't know what to do with it and asked his mother to keep it for him. He thought one of the boys might want it when they were grown; it would give them a link to their mother."

Beginning to feel overwhelmed and fiercely missing his little brother Patrick, Tim mutely put the ring in a plastic bag, handing it to Bob to label. After that, they decided it was easier to take all of Penny's jewelry; she could sort out what she wanted to keep or give away, or what Sarah might want. They secured the jewelry armoire, taping each compartment and then labeled it for Penny, to be locked up in the ranch house rather than a storage shed.

Uncle Mark McGee died in a shipboard accident, his body transported home. When Maisie and Bob found a box with his name on it, they didn't open it as they'd already found his USNA class ring in Penny's jewelry armoire. Bagged and tagged, it was tucked in Bob's pocket with Dan's rings. They labeled the box for Penny, taking it and the armoire downstairs.

Finished with their original mission here, Maisie told the boys to look around for anything they might want. Tim spotted a framed pen and ink sketch he knew Ellie would love and took it while Bob found a bedroom set he knew Sarah would love. Jethro spotted two other items he thought Sarah would want, framed letters from the President to Admiral McGee, commending him for his work. While Maisie wrapped the framed items, the men wrestled the two dressers, mattress, box springs, nightstands, and the bed frame down the stairs and into Jethro's truck.

Back upstairs, they went into the room that had been the family nursery, finding a box of baby clothes, including a christening gown that Maisie said was a family heirloom. With a smile at the boys, Jethro took the box. There were family photos on the wall; it looked like baby pictures of Penny with her parents, Nelson McGee with his, the two boys and then Tim, Patrick and Sarah. Tim and Bob took those with them as well as an antique bassinet Jim found in a closet. They also took a box of books and toys before quietly closing the door to the nursery.

They went back into Penny's bedroom and Tim looked at her bedstead. The mattress and box springs were already at the warehouse but he didn't want to leave the beautifully crafted head and footboard. There was also a bureau in the same style. He looked at his dad who nodded his agreement.

When Tim found Maisie, he told her the plan and she blinked back tears, "That's wonderful, Timothy. I worried when she asked for so little but she's afraid of weighing us down."

"We have room, Grammie, no reason not to take it. We'll store it in pieces so it won't take up much room."

Gathering Bob and Uncle Jim, the three men returned to Penny's bedroom where they found Jethro starting to break down the bedstead. The linens were in a heap on the bureau; Maisie gathered those and the pillows, taking everything downstairs to pack and label. The men finished taking the bedstead apart, carrying each piece to the truck and placing it carefully. The headboard and footboard were as heavy as they looked, as were the metal railings that connected them. The slats that provided support for the box springs were the only lightweight objects. The bureau, also known as a dresser, wasn't bad once they removed the drawers, Maisie first making sure she'd packed all the contents.

When the last piece was in the truck, the four men went back inside where they found Maisie going through the pantry. "No sense wasting supplies!" She pulled out spices, canned foods and dry goods, Jim and Tim helping her look at expiration dates. When she was satisfied with their plunder, she started going through the lower cabinets, exclaiming, "Ah ha, found you!"

She started to tug at something and Jethro, who was closest, hurriedly reached in to pull out a large, red, state of the art Kitchen Aid Mixer with a box full of attachments. Bob laughed at the look on Tim's face, "I know who's taking that!"

"Thanks to Sue, Deeny and our sojourn in New Mexico, I have a kitchen full of every kind of baking pan and utensil in existence but I don't have a Kitchen Aid!"

He put together a packing box and almost reverently loaded the mixer and its attachments in. "Need packing peanuts, I've got a bag at home."

His father shook his head, "That bag's in the backseat of my truck. Let's get it packed and labeled now. We can drop all this off at the warehouse on the way home."

Still beaming at Gram's find, Tim fetched the bag, carefully placing the packing peanuts in the box. Bob and Jim got the additional food supplies boxed, labeled and then they left the house, Tim stopping to take several photos both indoors and outdoors. Back at the warehouse, they offloaded the furniture, moving Bob and Sarah's new bedroom set to the area filled with bedroom furniture and then moved the bassinette to the baby gear pile and Tim's prize to the kitchenware pile, Jim, Bob and Dad promising to make sure it got on the trucks. Penny's bedroom furniture was labeled with her name and "Storage" so it wouldn't go into the shelter. The baby clothes, Ellie's 'new' sketch and the family photos would be transported on the charter flight, as would the items taken for possible DNA. When they got to the jewelry armoire, Tim shook his head, "I'd rather we take this on the plane. It's not that big or heavy." Taping up and labeling it, the armoire went into the backseat of the truck and eventually joined the stack of boxes and suitcases labeled for the plane.

Back home again, Tim and Jethro relaxed on the back deck with a cold beverage for a few minutes before walking down the sidewalk to Tim's place. They were done with the warehouse for the day. They hoped.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

When they walked into the house, the main floor was quiet but hearing Ellie's voice, they headed upstairs. She and the kids were going through their dressers and closets, trying on clothes to make sure they fit. Those that fit went in a suitcase, those that didn't went in a box. When Ellie looked up she grinned, explaining, "We're taking all of it but the clothes that don't fit will be saved for Teddy, Lia, Ricky and our baby or will be used by the seamstresses."

The men just nodded, Jethro thinking they really were returning to the ways of their forebears. Ellie reported both kids had outgrown their winter clothes and Tim held back a laugh; that happened every year, winter and summer!

Shannon helped measure the kids, they'd take the children clothes shopping on Wednesday while Tim, Barry, Freddie, Sarah, Geo, and Rob went to the shelter to distribute the one-way bus tickets. Heavy winter jackets, hats, gloves, scarves and boots had already been ordered for the children and their parents from the online outfitter Shannon had mentioned over the weekend; it was all shipped to the Ortizes.

Poppy went home while Tim helped his family with their clothes, realizing he hadn't gone through his yet. When Ellie asked him what he was going to wear to the double wedding the next day, he went blank, finally remembering his navy suit. He needed to polish his shoes but he had a dress shirt and tie fresh from the cleaners and he was good to go. When he asked Ellie what she was wearing, she made a little moue and beckoned him to their room. There she pointed to a dress hanging on the closet door. "That."

"Pretty color, bet it looks great with your eyes and hair."

Apparently, that was what she needed as she smiled. "Thanks, it's your mother's."

He suddenly felt trapped. While his mother and Ellie were the same height, she was a different build than Ellie, with broader shoulders and hips. Not knowing what else to say, he nodded.

Ellie giggled, "It fits better than anything of mine but I need to wear a belt as it's loose around the middle."

"Pregnancy changes."

"Oh yeah, the ones you've been noticing."

He grinned as her breasts had noticeably enlarged. He thought of asking her to model the dress for him but realized again that it was his mother's dress. "Uh, when you're out on Wednesday are you going to buy some clothes for you?"

"Yes and I've ordered some too. That reminds me; my dad said they brought several packages from the Ortizes to our place."

Tim frowned, "Yeah, that's good. You know, I hadn't thought about Christmas gifts. Thought as far as birthdays, our anniversary, and the baby arriving, we should be back in the house by then, but hadn't made it as far as Christmas."

"When we get to the ranch you can shop online."

"Yes, although it will be hard to know what to buy for post-Armageddon gifts."

Looking at each other, they burst into laughter and were still laughing when the kids came in, half carrying Lia, to find out what was so funny.

When Tim's phone rang, he was still chuckling. It was Sarah with a special request. He agreed, sitting on the bed afterward, thinking about the request. While he was still deep in thought his phone rang again, this time it was Geordie. He too had a special request. Tim agreed and after fulfilling his brother's request decided not to consciously think about either of them. He needed to sleep tonight!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Tuesday, June 25th, 2019

Up early Tuesday, it took the family longer than usual to get ready because today they were going to a wedding! With high temperatures forecast, Ty wore his nicest shorts, shirt and sandals while Brynie and Lia wore sundresses and sandals.

Tim eyed his kids' outfits but Ellie shook her head, "No, brothers of people getting married have to wear suits." She looked through the closet, "You don't have any short-sleeved white shirts?"

He held up his left wrist with the still visible scars from the dog mauling. "Always wore long-sleeved shirts to the agency after this happened. I do have," he dug further into the closet and pulled out a pale green and blue subtly striped dress shirt with short sleeves. "this. Think it would be all right?"

"Perfect! Why haven't I seen it before?"

"At first because someone I don't like gave it to me and then because I forgot about it. Noticed it yesterday when I was digging through looking for my turtlenecks."

"Well, she's long gone and that shirt is lovely. And no one and by that I mean Tony, will tease you about the scars." She muttered something under her breath about Abby that Tim chose to ignore. Although he did remind her that Abby hadn't bitten him. He pulled out his favorite tie, a green that went well with the green in the shirt. She smiled, "I gave you that; good! Balances the shirt in more ways than one."

Brynie and Ty had "Happy Wedding" cards they'd made last night, complete with envelopes and they all signed the cards. As Ellie said, they were creative, pretty and made with love, they'd worry about gifts later.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Jethro was also up very early. As the father of one bride and one groom, he had some responsibilities today but that wasn't why he was up before dawn. He'd made a bassinet for his expected grandbaby, the first one for whom he'd been able to make anything ahead of time. He stained it last night and wanted to move it over to the warehouse without Tim and Ellie knowing anything about it. He was deliberately not thinking about the beautiful antique thing they'd found at Penny's.

He'd have to sand his bassinet a little and do some touch-ups once it reached the ranch but that was all right, he just didn't want to put the whole thing together there. They were going to be very busy getting the shelter done, moving in what they wanted and then securing everything else in the house.

Shannon worked on it with him and now they signed their grandparent and real names, the city, state and the current date. Jethro hadn't thought about it but Shannon said it might end up being of historical value or at least of family interest down the road. He thought about that, this was probably the last thing he'd ever make in his basement, in this house. Now he was glad he was taking the workbench at his wife and son's insistence, no matter how crazy it first seemed to him. When they brought the bassinet upstairs to take out to the truck, Mac was there and he signed too.

Carefully loaded, they tucked more boxes around it and then covered it all with a tarp. Neither Jethro nor Shannon was surprised when Mac climbed in the truck with them.

Jethro grinned when they pulled up to find Jimmy, Breena, and Ed Slater unloading two trucks. He did a chin tilt toward Ed, who hadn't spotted them yet, "Shan, that's Ed Slater, Jimmy's father-in-law."

"The guy you don't like?"

"Yep."

She grinned back at him, "Well, this will be interesting."

They climbed out and waving hello took the tarp off and started unloading boxes.

Breena and Jimmy called out greetings while Ed grunted in their direction. Breena looked at the two of them, "Parents of half the wedding couples today, how's that feel?"

Shannon smiled widely, "I'm pretty stoked about it. Bob's a good man, reminds me a lot of Jimmy. Strong, considerate and I know he's going to be a wonderful husband and father, just like Jimmy and Tim. And we love Bec too; she's also goodhearted, smart and a great partner for Geordie. He says she calms his nightmares and makes him laugh, they have a lot in common, both couples."

Jethro just smiled and said, "What she said." He ruffled Jimmy's hair and smiled again at the surprised grin that appeared.

They shared the bassinet secret with them and even Ed lightened up enough to admire it and nod at their signatures. "Hard to think but yeah, that could mean something very different someday." He looked at Jimmy, "You said the autopsy suite is reinforced, you and Ducky should go back in, leave your names and dates somewhere."

Jimmy nodded, "We did that last week, our last day there. We also listed the names of the people we worked with over the years and the names of our predecessors. We looked up the month, day and year the building was first opened and included that as well as the last day the office was populated, last Friday."

"That's some legacy."

"I read they let tourists into Chernobyl in 2011, 25 years after the accident; maybe in 25 years someone will see our names."

That quickly sobered them, although Jimmy had given Jethro an idea, and they resumed moving boxes and furniture into the warehouse. The Palmers and Ed helped move the pieces of the workbench in before they took off. After they were gone, the Gibbses did a quick inventory.

Since the count last night, 3 more beds and box springs had appeared as well as 12 more sofas, 2 freezers, 3 electric ovens, 1 gas oven with Fornell's name on the tag, marked for storage, 3 TVs and 4 DVD players, 2 of them portable. Shannon chuckled when she spotted a new, in-the-box VCR, with what looked like the original store stickers on it. There were more boxes of books, DVDs and VHS tapes. Shannon frowned, "If we had Tim, I could convert all those to DVDs, would take far less space and last longer."

Jethro barked out a laugh, "We do have Tim! Did you mean if we had time or that Tim could convert them?"

Surprised, she thought about what she'd said and then chuckled. "Maybe both!"

After covering the bassinet with a blanket and labeling it for the Palmers who'd suggested the ruse, they tucked the tarp in the back seat and drove home. Jethro noticed that for Tuesday morning commute hours, there were far fewer vehicles than usual, even for summer. He hoped that meant people were leaving and not cowering in their homes.

When they got home, he went back to the basement and cleaned off an interior corner of the concrete wall. Using one of Tim's Sharpies he carefully printed the date, the names of the entire family and their ages, the year they'd bought the house, the date they were leaving and the reason and where they were going. When he finished, he looked, grinned and added two notes, one next to Sarah's name and one next to Geordie's name, saying each was to be married the next day, including Bob and Bec's names. When he was done, he added 'Semper Fi'.

Afraid the permanent ink would fade, he took a thin paintbrush he used for fine touches, found some black paint and then painstakingly applied the paint to his handiwork. Then he stepped back, feeling smug. Either the paint or the ink should survive. And the Gibbses would have their own family monument amongst the ruins, if the attack happened. He knew Tim still held out hope it would not.

By 0945, occupants of both 505 and 515 E. Laurel, that is the Gibbses and Mac, were fed, bathed and dressed, ready for the weddings. They rode together in the van, finding several vacant parking spots in front of the courthouse. Tim frowned but didn't say anything. Other than checking online a few times a day, they had deliberately not been watching the news; they'd canceled their satellite and streaming services effective Thursday, two of many items marked off the family's checklist.

They'd also sent two months' rent to their landlords, along with a note to let them know they were moving and their new address in New Mexico. Tim was glad he and Ellie hadn't purchased the house as they'd once considered.

Upstairs in the meeting room where the weddings would be held, they were happy to meet Bob's sister Haley. She smiled nervously, "I'm relieved to meet Sarah's family. Until they decided to get married today I thought I might not meet anyone else until the day we leave!"

"When did you get here?"

"I flew in last night. I wanted to work a few more days but Bob said not to wait any longer. My first job." She looked upset and then brightened, "It's so cool they're getting married before we go and her brother and his girlfriend too!"

Shannon smiled, "Yes, it's wonderful. We already consider your brother and Geordie's Bec part of the family and now you are too."

Haley, who Jethro would have said was closer to 13 than 23, blushed. "Thank you."

While everyone was arriving and milling around, Tim pulled a small table over and put it in front of all the chairs with the laptop on top. He'd thought about using his tablet but the laptop had a bigger screen. The county clerk gave him the WiFi password and he logged onto Skype, called Haley over and then pinged the senior Chalmers in the Philippines.

She introduced Tim to the Chalmers, forgetting he'd already met them. The parents, including Timpa, met in a Skype call when the couple became engaged.

When Sarah was trying on Lily's dress with Maisie there, she'd pinged her new mother-in-law to show her the details. Marisol Chalmers was deeply pleased at Sarah's thoughtfulness and Bob's grandmother was on hand to meet Sarah's grandmother, another big plus.

Now on screen were Bob and Haley's parents, grandmother, uncle, aunts and cousins. Jethro and Shannon came by to say hello, followed by Grandpa who knew enough Tagalog to say hello, his name and how happy he was with the marriage of Sarah and Bob.

When Rob and Kelly arrived, they were introduced to the young woman and the onscreen family. The cousins asked for a look around so the doctors obliged them, with people waving to the overseas guests.

While they chatted, Ellie thought about the 20 somethings who were coming along on their journey but Mateo, Haley and Kayla were the only three she could think of. Although Rob, Kelly and Sarah were in their early 30's, she supposed she could consider them in the count.

Kayla was 21, Haley 23 and Mateo 29. He'd worked full-time while he made his way through community college and continued working nonstop until he won his scholarship to George Washington University, also known as GW. Emily Fornell and Jared Vance were 19 and she thought the Hubbard kids, whom they'd meet today, were young teens, at least Ainsley was. Callum was a year or two younger, close to the same age as her nephew Ethan. Her nephew Nick was 15 and she couldn't remember how old Evan Fuller's kids were. Older than her kids by a couple of years; she thought one of them was the age of her niece Chesnie. At least her nephew Matt and the Palmer kids were close in age to the Gibbs' children.

When the Hubbards and the Cranes entered, they were introduced to most of the Gibbs-Mallard clan. Both Captain and Admiral were in their dress whites and Tim smiled in approval, knowing that would please Geordie, Sarah and Bob. When Mr. Chalmers saw the two officers, he promptly fired off a salute, which they returned before falling right into Navy talk with him. On both sides of the camera, their wives let them ramble for a few minutes before calling a halt. Mrs. Chalmers chuckled with Claire and Liz; obviously Navy wives were the same world over.

"Let's make sure we get lots of pictures today." Tim and Ellie held up cameras and laughed as Ainsley and her father did the same. Ainsley smiled saying, "I guess that means we can't hang out together."

Ellie shook her head, "Oh no it doesn't. We'll stand back to back, the four of us and get photos of whoever's in view."

Tim grinned, "I already have several shots of the uncles talking shop with Mr. Chalmers. Think "Stars and Stripes" will be interested?"

The kids laughed while Uncle Jim winked at his nephew.

Ty and Brynie were immediately enamored of their new Hubbard cousins and Cal and Ainsley seemed to feel the same way. Lia followed her older sister's tradition of giving hugs and squealed happily whenever she was hugged. She was starting to walk and was still wobbly so she stayed with her parents, grandparents and great-grandfather. She and their new great-grandmother, Grammie, hit it off instantly and with permission, she was carried around the room, introduced as Grammie's youngest great-grandchild.

Lia squealed again when she and Grammie were introduced to the Chalmers. The long-distance family gave up trying to keep names and relationships straight and enjoyed meeting the people who were Bob and Haley's new family. They'd been disappointed there wasn't time to fly over for the wedding but were relieved the pair were marrying and getting to safety.

They were all still chatting, waiting for the wedding couples, when Maisie and Lia returned to the group, the elderly woman looked pale and distracted. Tim took Lia while Uncle Jim guided his mother to a chair and Ellie went to get her some water.

When she returned with the water, Maisie looked much better. "I'm sorry, I saw someone who resembled an old," realizing her young grand and great-grandchildren were nearby, she hesitated before ending her sentence with "friend." She added, "From London in the late '50s. Actually I met my husband through him; he was one of Andrew's best friends."

"Here, in Georgetown, thousands of miles from London?"

"Well it's not that odd, I suppose. Donald went off to work with Doctors without Borders and I took up with Andrew; we married soon after. He always said he knew what he wanted and I was it."

She looked up to see several people, her new family, looking at her with big eyes. "What?"

"Gram, is his last name Mallard?" This from Tim while Jethro left the group to get Duck.

"Why yes, Timothy – oh my Lord, that's my Donald? I mean, oh!"

Jethro reappeared with the good doctor who was frowning, "Jethro, what is this about?" He looked at the crowd who was mostly grinning although there was a Navy captain glaring at him. "Is there a medical emergency? Jimmy has his medical bag, who needs help?"

Tim gently touched his arm, "Ducky, there's no emergency but there is someone here who knows you from London."

Their friend looked surprised and then his mouth dropped open and his eyebrows rose in shock as he spotted Grammie. "Maisie? Maisie Stirling McNeil?"

"Yes Donnie, I'm Maisie Stirling McNeil Hubbard."

"Oh my word, Andrew, you married Andrew! I never connected the name Hubbard with - Maisie!"

She was standing and he kissed both cheeks in European custom. Before anyone could ask questions, the music started and everyone found a place to sit.

Sarah appeared at the front with Bob, both waving hello to the family on the laptop and then Geordie and Bec followed them, the two couples taking their places. Both women looked stunning in their borrowed wedding gowns although Tim thought Ellie's looked better on her. Bob wore a suit while Geo was in his dress blues.

As Tim watched, he smiled at the memories of Sarah, age 6, practicing her march down the aisle. Because he was her father figure, he was frequently inveigled to march with her and hand her off to Robbie or Geo, playing the future bridegroom.

He sat with Ellie, holding her hand. When the officiant asked who would witness the marriage of Sarah and Robert, he stood and stepped forward, "I will." He remained standing but stepped back and to the side, smiling when Rob stepped forward as witness for Geordie and Bec, feeling the years of their small family echoing behind them.

After the ceremony, after he'd witnessed Sarah and Bob signing their marriage license and he himself had signed, Ellie pulled him aside. "I thought Geordie called you too."

"He did. He and Sarah decided together who they wanted. He called me because Rob needed some persuading. He's still shy and being in groups like this - well, he'll hang out with us a lot."

There was no food allowed but they were allowed non-alcoholic beverages. Tim, Rob, Kelly, and Tony made sure everyone had a glass of sparkling cider or lemonade and then several toasts were made. Grandpa made the first one, followed by Aunt Mel, Ducky and then Dad. Finally, Tim called attention, waiting for Rob to pick up the laptop so the senior Chalmers could see. Then he raised his glass, "I'd like to toast Bob and Bec, two brave souls officially becoming part of the clan and I also want to welcome Bec's aunt Mel Blake and Bob's sister Haley and the senior Chalmers to our family."

He smiled warmly at Mel and Haley, glad they were both pleased. After Sarah's new in-laws signed off, Tony announced a wedding lunch was being served at the diner. When the out-of-towners looked puzzled, Dad called out "Elaine's Diner, follow us!"

Making sure the Hubbards, Cranes, Lu, Barry and the guys and other out-of-towners were following someone who knew the way, the Gibbs' van led the way, with the DiNozzos bringing up the rear of the procession. Once again, they noticed a distinct lack of traffic and Tim hoped that meant people were leaving town.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The diner had undergone a major change in the last 24 hours. The booths disappeared and long tables filled the space, forming a 'T'. The tables were covered with paper tablecloths with a wedding theme and small wedding themed items appeared intermittently along with arrangements of fresh flowers. The lunch counter was cleared off to make way for 3 coffeemakers, beverages and cups set up for self-serve.

At the far end of the counter were stacks of plates and cutlery rolled in napkins with a sign that said "Please take one". Two high chairs and one booster seat were set up across from each other at the longer table and the Palmers, Tim and Ellie secured the babies with Teddy in the booster seat and then Victoria, Brynie, and Ty.

As people came in, Elaine and Jacob welcomed everyone, most of them by name and then they waited until everyone sat. Jethro stood, "For those of you who haven't been here before, our hosts are Jacob and Elaine Rourke. I want to thank them for putting all of this together in less than 24 hours!"

After the applause, the couple smiled and Elaine spoke, "It's been our pleasure to have the Gibbs family as customers and friends for many years. Today we're doing things a little differently. We'll be serving family style, food on the table just like a family gathering at home. We're starting with salad and then serving prime rib, roast potatoes and vegetables." She paused, "Chalmers', Perrys', Gibbses, Vances, Fornells, DiNozzos, Palmers and Ducky, if any of you want prime rib instead of your usual favorites, raise your hands."

She chuckled as everyone named raised their hands; several of them usually had salads. Gibbs, Tony, Tobias, Leon and young Jared preferred meat, usually beef. Tim did too but he alternated his red meat meals with salads or chicken entrees.

"Last question, does anyone want their prime rib cooked any way other than medium rare? Another show of hands please."

Several hands went up including Ellie, who usually loved beef cooked rare. Tim raised an eyebrow and she patted her belly. Not sure if that meant the baby's health or that it would upset her, Tim raised his hand too, asking for medium. That got an eyebrow from Dad who received a response that included eyeballs rolled sideways at Ellie.

Watching them, Jim Hubbard chuckled to himself. He'd noticed the nonverbal communications at the Silver Spring diner last week and again at the warehouse. Now he watched as several people had nonverbal conversations with Jethro. He passed salt, pepper, fetched another napkin for his daughter, even pouring coffee for a few people without anyone verbally asking. The man sent a look down the table that Jim saw was caught by Tony, who sat back, looking chagrined. And then became wide eyed as he realized what he'd said or done. He shook his head and then grinned when Gibbs patted the back of his own head.

At one point, Tony exchanged a number of facial gestures with Tim and the two of them collapsed into giggles, only stopping when one of them caught a raised eyebrow from Boss. Jim shook his head and leaned into the table toward Jethro. "How do you do it?"

He chuckled, "My first boss at the agency taught me what I hadn't already learned at home and in the Corps. Then years of practice and I created some of my own. And those two worked for me for over a decade. That last bit was an old joke that was not appropriate today." He shook his head, "It took them a while to become friends and then watch out world. They were thoroughly professional when they needed to be but oh boy when DiNozzo thought I wasn't watching…"

Sitting nearby, Vance snorted. "And he cheated on every paper airplane I saw fly. It wasn't until Tim's last day on the team that Tony missed and Tim's paper airplane outflew his."

Jim and Dave looked at each other, started laughing and laughed so hard their backs had to be pounded. When the rest of the table looked at them, the retired Admiral smiled enigmatically. "NCIS agents aren't the only ones who blow off steam in silly ways."

Tim grinned, sending his father a look that got a fond rebuttal while Tony got 'knock it off'.

Maisie had been quiet, enjoying her meal but now she looked up at Jethro and Shannon, saying, "Our boy had his puppy dog eyes down by the time he was a year old!"

That sent everyone who'd known Tim for any length of time into gales of laughter while he demonstrated for his grandmother. "Yes darling boy, you've still got it."

Turning the spotlight on the newlyweds, they came in for their share of good-natured teasing. They thoroughly enjoyed the celebration, able to put aside their worries for a few hours. Once the main course was placed on the table, Elaine and her husband Jacob joined them.

While they were enjoying their feast, Maisie asked if Elaine and Jacob were coming with them and he shook his head. "We're not. Before we knew about this, we sold the diner and our home; today is actually our last day at the diner. We've bought a house in Oregon; our children live in Washington and California, so we'll be right in between. When Jethro asked, we had to say no. We're driving the northern route but we'll probably drop down into New Mexico on the way. You folks won't be there yet but Tim gave us the address of the Ortiz ranch next door. We figure we'll stay there a day or two."

"When are you leaving?"

"Next Monday, less than a week from now. We bought a used RV and fixed it up so we'll stay in RV parks along the way and tow our car. We'll stuff as many of our things in the car and RV as we can and buy new furniture in Oregon."

There were grins around the table and the couple looked around, "What are we missing?"

"We moved our departure date up; some of us are flying to Albuquerque on Saturday and the rest of us are leaving Saturday afternoon or evening. We'll be there when you stop for a break!"

"Oh that's wonderful!" Elaine leaned over to Tim, "Do you have a pool?"

"Yes but it won't be set up until later. The Ortizes have one but they've drained it and re-filtered the water so it's usable for other purposes."

There was a collective groan around the table and Ty tried to help, "We have our wading pool that Brynie and I used when we were little."

He got smiles for that and Tobias called dibs on putting his feet in to cool off. Brynie smiled, "We could go to our lake, Uncle Toby; it has lots of water to swim in." She looked at Elaine, "But it's really cold! We have to dance in the water to get our feet warm."

Geordie chuckled, "And by warm she means numb."

Jacob was deep in thought, finally looking at Jethro. "You're driving the southern route."

"Yes. We'll caravan with the moving vans carrying our stuff. Tim and Ellie have analyzed the route for areas where there's been trouble." Jethro gestured with his head and he and Jacob stepped away from the table. Elaine relaxed, she had a good idea where this was going and she was fine with it, knowing Gibbs would have more than adequate protection for everyone.

When the two men returned, Jacob and Elaine talked for a minute and she nodded. Jacob looked at Jethro, nodding.

Gibbs stood, "Welcome the Rourkes to our caravan!" There were cheers and applause from everyone.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Back home after the morning's festivities, they backed the van into the driveway. Quickly changing clothes, Tim headed toward the garage to start loading up the van and truck. His little boy was in the kitchen waiting for him, "Daddy, I want to help."

He and Ellie had discussed the possibility of Tyler asking to help and thought that at nearly 7 years of age it was important for him to be involved. They'd make sure Brynie got in on it too. Now Tim nodded. "That's great, son. Here's what you can do."

The boxes in the garage had become jumbled; with each box labeled and Ty being a good reader, he could start sorting. Most of the heavy boxes, with books and kitchenware, had already been moved to the warehouse. Most of what remained was toys, linens, clothes and shoes.

Tyler was shown the box labels and saw that some said 'plane' as well as 'clothes' or whatever was in the box. Other labels said 'truck' and whatever was in the box. His job was first to sort out the boxes in the 'truck' pile that had 'plane' on the label. After he finished that, then he'd look at the 'plane' pile and sort out the boxes that said 'truck'. And when they were done loading, he could go to the warehouse with his father and grandfather. His young face lit up, he would really be helping!

Down the street, Shannon and Mac were helping Jethro load his truck, father and daughter quibbling about who would go to the warehouse and sounding so much like Tyler and Brynie arguing that Jethro had a hard time holding back his laughter. Shannon had been several times but Mac felt he wasn't pulling his weight. The 'boys', as he thought of all the men save Ducky and the Colonel, had done all the heavy work. Sure, he'd helped with the kids but…Shannon finally gave in, much to the astonishment of her husband. He could count on one hand the number of arguments with her that he'd won. Ever.

Eventually both vehicles were fully loaded and Tim and Ty went inside to tell their family they were on their way to the warehouse. Brynie and Lia were in the pool with Ellie and waved goodbye. Ty had to think hard about playing in the water or helping but he wasn't a baby anymore and helping won out.

Sensing the struggle and the decision, his dad hugged his shoulders. "I'm glad you're helping today, Tyler, we've got a lot to do and you've already been a big help with sorting. We might have a swim later - no promises though."

"Ok Daddy!" He grinned as he climbed into his car seat and buckled himself in, waving at Nonny who was marching down the sidewalk in her swimsuit cover up and carrying a towel. Tim waved too as they caught up with the truck.

He wasn't surprised to find all of the Hubbards and Cranes at the warehouse. They'd driven both rental trucks, fully loaded, and one car from Annapolis this morning, changed clothes and were emptying one truck at a time. Callum, Ainsley, Claire, Liz, and even Maisie were helping and Ty bounced a little as he pointed them out. "Look, our cousins and everyone!"

Daddy and Poppy made sure to include some lighter weight boxes on top of each truckload so Ty could help carry. He waited impatiently for his father to pull out boxes for both of them and then followed him into the warehouse. His eyes widened at the amount of boxes and stuff. Daddy said a warehouse was the size of about 35 garages like theirs and now he saw how big that was. "Where is all this stuff going at the ranch?"

Poppy who was right behind them with Grandpa, answered his grandson, "That's a good question, Tyler. Some of it, the beds for instance will go into the shelter. The food will go in too. We'll move a few sofas in so we'll have places to sit, a few tables and chairs, plus the appliances."

"What about the rest?"

"Most of it will be stored in the basement of the house or in the barn. And then when we're done staying in the shelter, we can turn it into a warehouse and store things in there."

Ty made a little face, "We were hoping it could be a big swimming pool."

"Don't forget we'll have the two big pools plus your wading pool."

"Oh yeah!"

By their fourth trip to the van and truck there weren't any more lightweight boxes for Ty. But the Hubbards were taking a break and Cal was bored, so he came over to help Ty move some more things. That was fun for both boys and their parents heartily approved them having some bonding time. They were 5 years apart, almost the same as Sarah and Tim. If things worked out Cal and Ainsley would be great role models and friends for the Gibbs kids.

Finished unloading in a few minutes, the Gibbses began working with the Hubbards and Cranes. Tim noticed the 'If there's room' pile was growing and took a break from unloading to check it out. Three more items got red X's and moved to the 'No Go" corner.

There were some beautiful but heavy, ornate items in the 'If' pile, bigger and heavier than Penny's bedroom furniture; they looked Asian and he thought they'd come from his uncles. He hoped nobody was too attached to them because they were too big for the shelter and would take a lot of room to store. Although people should take what they wanted to use later.

Barry mentioned the growing number of sofas and Tim looked at them now. While he understood they'd told people to bring their things to use or store for later, they had seriously underestimated the number of sofas and chairs. The warehouse was starting to look like a furniture outlet store!

He was thankful they'd limited the number of boxes and now he saw they should have done the same thing with the furniture. But really, who knew? He counted sofas; when he got to 65, he stopped. There were 59 people in their group here, including 16 single adults, 18 if he included Kayla Vance and Emily Fornell. He could see Ducky and Aunt Mel having multiple couches and chairs and possibly Lu or Fornell, but he knew Mac and the Colonel did not. He assumed that since Maisie lived with her son and his family she did not have more than one sofa.

The other singles were younger and as far as he knew, renters and at least one of them, Mateo, had very limited furniture. Their numbers weren't high enough to account for the multiples. That meant that among the older singles, couples and families, several households wanted to bring multiple couches and chairs.

He shook his head and began examining the labels on them. Taking notes he started itemizing the couches and looking around, called his son over. "Ty, I need your help. We're going to make a list of who owns all these couches. If you'll find the label and tell me the name, I'll write it down, ok?"

"Sure Daddy!"

Thinking quickly, Tim wrote all the surnames of those going, leaving room for the numbers. Ty found the first label and called out "DiNozzo." Tim marked one and Ty went to the next couch and read the label, "DiNozzo." Tim marked again and Ty went to a third couch and giggled, "Daddy, this one says DiNozzo too."

"Ok son, I'm keeping track, let's keep going."

The DiNozzos had three couches, the Cranes had two, the Hubbards three, Ducky four (Tim belatedly remembered the leather sofas in the library), the Vances had three, the senior Slaters had four, Breena's sisters had two each, the Carters had three, Mel Blake had two.

As the Hubbards and Cranes were still there, Tim asked them about the couches, explaining the problem, "I know we didn't set a limit but we have more couches than we have people. We want to be comfortable and people need furniture for After but unless folks don't mind their belongings sitting outside, we'll be out of storage space very quickly. We're going to have to set a limit and have those with multiples pick the one they want."

They agreed and picked one sofa per household. The other three were moved to the 'no go' pile. While they were still there, Tim wrote a quick e-mail to most of the group briefly explaining the problem and asking that people pick one couch each and to move the others to the 'No Go' pile and to have that done by 6:00 PM Thursday. He left the Slaters and Palmers off the list and wrote a similar note asking if some of the couches were for their business. He remembered Breena saying they planned to open a Slater Mortuary in Albuquerque After.

He got a quick note back from Ed saying yes they were for business but they could have them shipped with the rest of their equipment. They were emptying two of their mortuaries, having everything shipped and stored in New Mexico. Tim replied thanking him and saying if he'd let him know which ones they were, he'd mark the labels and pull them out. He got a photo in reply and had the couches marked and pulled to the side in minutes, sending a photo to Ed in return.

His next text was from Jimmy who said, "Well done, he's not unhappy, thank you!" Breena texted him that their movers would be at the warehouse Thursday for the couches and that she or Jimmy would be there.

In the meantime, Tim had several e-mails from people each saying they'd make their selection and move the others before the Thursday night deadline. Later he was amused when he heard that Ducky promptly gave up two of his couches, gave one of the leather ones to Ned and kept the second one. When Rob, Kelly, Kayla, Emily and Mateo asked if they could each have one of the 'No Go' couches, Tim told them to ask the owners, to relabel and move them back if they said yes.

The last warehouse situation with the couches amused him even more. At least three people looked at the couches being left behind, decided they liked someone else's discarded couch better than their own and with permission swapped them out. He'd been partially right; it was a furniture swap meet, not a furniture outlet!

Back home, the movers joined the swimmers in the pool; relaxing felt very good. The last thing Tim did before he stepped into the water was to thank Barry for his observations and ask if he would continue handling the couch and chair situation.

That evening, he sat down with his mother, representing the Food team, to review their list of supplies, determining they had enough canned food to feed them for 160 days, several more weeks than Tim anticipated. That was good; people might stay on at the ranch for a few weeks after the shelter. She also reported they'd ordered cuts of meat that would be delivered frozen and planned a shopping expedition into town for fresh veggies and fruits. Their vitamin and supplement supply was enough for all of them for 12 months and included some that the doctors recommended to help mitigate after-effects of living underground, radiation exposure and any other fallout from the attack.

The Food and Equipment teams joined forces, coming up with the number of ovens, refrigerators and freezers they'd need; Tim was relieved to hear they already had what they needed to complement the commercial appliances from the diner. In addition to what was coming from Virginia, the Bishops were bringing a freezer, electric range and other appliances. Barbara insisted, saying Jerry had been promising a kitchen remodel and new appliances for years and she thought this was the only way she was ever going to get them.

The teams also made a joint recommendation for numbers of microwaves, toaster ovens and coffeemakers and again they already had what they needed in the warehouse. Tim laughed at their plan for the coffeemakers: they would label them 'decaf', 'regular' and 'tar'.

He and his father had been buying quantities of the stronger roasts they liked and at the wedding luncheon today discovered that Maggie, the Admiral, and Captain were also fans of what Tony dubbed 'tarfee'. Tim knew Geo was too but Bec drank tea and his brother was trying his best to find a tea that worked for him.

The combined team also came up with a list of 'rules' to run the kitchen. Two were essential and very basic. First, to leave the small appliances unplugged unless they were in use. They couldn't afford to waste generator power by leaving the coffeepot or microwave plugged in so people could see the time or save the 2 seconds required to plug them in. The second was to scrape food off dirty dishes before placing them directly in the dishwasher. They couldn't afford to waste precious water washing dishes separately, nor could they afford to damage the dishwasher or plumbing with too many food scraps. They also recommended use of a compost bucket for compostable foods, vegetables, fruits, eggshells, nuts and their shells. There was a note that Bec had three large buckets with biodegradable liners for their scraps and a small composter to speed the making of compost for use in the garden. The food team further recommended saving meat, some vegetable and grain scraps for the dogs; a separate bucket would hold those for daily disbursal.

There was also a note that Dr. Palmer was working with a local vet to determine what medications should be on hand for the pets. He was also working to find two or three vets on the West Coast who, in the case of a serious pet health or behavior problem, could walk him through treatments. To that end, another phone extension with a very long cord would be added in the pet entrance tunnel.

The same team, working with the hygiene team, did some research on the use of gray water for watering their plants and would do that by diverting the rinse water from the dishwasher. The safe detergent Jerry found was also sold for dishwashers. The composter would also need water but gray water would be sufficient.

Shannon grinned at Tim, "We're using modern appliances but also returning to some of the ways my great-grandparents did things!"

He nodded with a smile, telling her he hadn't used a dishwasher until he and his ex-girlfriend moved in together. With as few meals as he ate at home before then, it would have taken a month or more to collect enough dirty dishes to run a dishwasher. However, Elaine was right; they needed to keep dishes, etc. sterilized and the re-use of the water was all good news.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Wednesday, June 26th, 2019

So tired he nearly went to bed before the kids Tuesday night, Tim only felt marginally better the next morning. He showered, dressed, kissed his sleeping wife, had coffee and a piece of fruit before heading out. Today was the day he, the sibs (minus Kelly) and the guys were distributing one-way bus tickets at the shelter and they needed to be done before it closed for cleaning at 0900.

They'd varied the destinations for the tickets, figuring no one city or town would be thrilled with a horde of homeless people descending on them. They did enough research to know which bus stations had cafeterias and which had fast food places nearby. They also included shelter addresses and directions to the closest shelter from the bus station for each destination.

Lu notified other shelter managers of the need to evacuate and the Camp Alumni non-profit teamed with 3 other non-profits to provide bus tickets to safe areas for guests of all the shelters in Baltimore. Working with Baltimore Social Services, a committee from the combined non-profits had contacted Social Services in the destination cities to advise them of the evacuees. Once the evacuation was explained as well as the numbers arriving for each city, Social Services at each destination could plan accordingly.

When Lu left the shelter for the last time Friday morning, it would close for good; the city had already been notified. The siblings had a supply of rolling suitcases, clothes and shoes for those who needed them and Lu would hand out envelopes with cash and food vouchers as people left to catch their buses. Luckily, the station was only a 7-minute walk from the shelter. The residents had already been warned about the attack, told they needed to leave town.

Taking the van, Tim met Geordie and Rob, picking up Sarah in Georgetown. The traffic was even lighter than yesterday and they were in Baltimore faster than if Ziva had driven. Parking in the back of the shelter, they found the guys waiting for them and knocked on the rear door. Lu opened it, giving them a wan smile. "We're ready. Served bacon with breakfast this morning so they're in good moods."

They chuckled at that, walking into the great room. There they stood while Lu got everyone's attention. When there was quiet, Barry started, "Does anyone not know us?" A few people raised their hands and Sarah explained their backgrounds.

First, they talked about Nate and all of them raised cups or glasses in memory of the old man. Then Tim told them again about the planned attack and that everyone here had to leave town in the next couple of days. He saw panic setting in and quickly explained that's why they were there. They had one-way bus tickets to cities and towns far enough away from the planned target areas to be safe. Enough for everyone.

Lu had supplied a list of names, grouping families or friends and they'd used that list to buy the tickets. They'd checked with her on the way over this morning and the list hadn't changed.

Now they called out names and handed over the tickets, working with each traveler or group to make sure he or she understood the day and time to be at the bus station and the destination.

The folks who needed clothing and/or suitcases were asked to step aside. When everyone had bus tickets, the clothes and suitcases were distributed. The first travelers, six people going to two destinations, were leaving between 10:30 and 11:00 that morning and the siblings planned to take them to the bus station on their way out of town. The six hurried to get ready. Two additional people would leave that afternoon; they asked if they could ride with the siblings, they'd wait in the bus station. The station manager was a stickler about vagrants in his station but Geordie, who was wearing fatigues, said he'd go in with them and let management know they were leaving later in the day.

The rest were leaving on Thursday, the last one at 1500, which meant Lu could shut down a day early. They said goodbye to everyone, wished them luck and watched as Lu handed out the packets and bag lunches to today's travelers.

Their ten put their packs and suitcases in the back of the van and then climbed in for the short ride. When Geordie returned from escorting them into the station and talking with the station manager, he rolled his eyes, "That guy, remember how mean he was when we were kids?"

They all nodded, he had been one of the meanest adults of their childhood.

"He was all smarmy, saying how wonderful it was we were taking care of people. It was sickening, he's worked in the neighborhood all of our lives and I bet he's never lifted a finger to help."

Rob's stomach growled, breaking the mood. Tim nodded, "Your wish is our command!"

They sent a text to the guys but they were on their way to work and had to pass. When Tim turned into the lot at 'Diner the Great', they were happy to see a sign that said, 'Closing for good Friday 7/28, 3:00 PM'.

Walking in, they saw two tables with chairs; the rest of the tables, chairs, booths, even the stools at the front counter and the jukebox were gone. Nancy popped her head out from the kitchen, "Oh good, my favorite people! Hope you want eggs, bacon and toast because that's all we have left. And coffee, juice and milk."

"Sounds good to us!"

Neither of the tables was set so they grabbed plates, cutlery, mugs and glasses for themselves. Sarah found the orange juice and poured it for them while Geordie got the coffee. Nancy laughed when she emerged from the kitchen. "Thanks guys. So, guess where I'm going?"

With a hopeful smile, Rob said, "Albuquerque?"

"Not quite – Taos! My sister and her husband live there and he's building a shelter in their backyard. I'll stay with them until everything is safe and I can get up and running."

They cheered as Tim reminded his siblings that was less than a three-hour drive from the ranch. "We'll be there as soon as you open!"

"Great, can't wait to see you! The mover is coming Friday for the ovens, fridge, freezer, tables, and booths and it'll go right into storage in Taos, waiting for me. I'm cleaning the appliances and freezer tomorrow and then as soon as the truck's gone, I'm on my way!"

Sarah responded to their friend, "Great! Are you driving by yourself?"

"Yes."

Geordie pulled the driver and vehicle list up on his phone. "Yeah, that would work."

"What would work?"

"Do you mind waiting until Saturday to leave?"

"Why?"

They told her and she exhaled a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you, I'll feel much safer in a caravan."

"We're rotating drivers and we'll make sure you always have someone with you. There are some spots where we might be making some changes…" Geordie explained what and why and Nancy's eyes grew big. "I'm glad you're so protective."

"The moving vans will be with us, one in the lead, two in the middle and one at the rear, that'll help. If one of us is pulled over, we'll all pull over. And the Federal Agents will have badges, IDs and weapons. Several of the others will also have weapons."

She nodded, "I normally hate firearms but this feels right."

They ate and paid despite her protests, hugging her goodbye. She was sending her furniture and personal items on the moving van so wouldn't have anything but her overnight bag with her in the car.

They'd all admitted to feeling weird today; now they felt a little better knowing Nancy wouldn't be too far away and that Lu was coming with them. After dropping off his siblings, Tim was just walking in the door when his phone rang with an ID he hadn't seen in years. He'd sent her an e-mail but hadn't heard back.

"Hi D'Arcy, this is Tim."

"Oh I'm so glad you're still there, still answered."

"Not for long, we're leaving Saturday. How about you?"

"Sunday, several of us are heading to Omaha, I have family there. Thank you so much for warning me, I told everyone I know and complete strangers - and everyone is passing the word along."

"That's great! What's up, can I help you with something?"

"I hope so! We've been successful in getting all of the foster kids and their families in Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and most of Virginia out of the area, mostly to northern Maine or southern Florida, but we have six kids at one of the group homes that don't have a place to go. Now we'll take them with us if necessary but I'd rather get them placed with foster families."

"How old are they?"

"Two brothers, ages 15 and 17, a girl age 6, a 2-year old boy and 18-month old twins."

"Ok, I'm putting together an e-mail as we talk. Any special needs or anything that parents would be dealing with?"

"The two older boys are fairly new to the system, their mother died four months ago, their father was killed in Afghanistan, he was a Marine; their remaining relatives can't take care of them. The 6-year old has been in the system for about a year, her single mother wouldn't disclose any names before she died. Because she was on the run from an abusive relationship, we won't search. But the little girl is fine; if she was subjected to abuse, she shows no physical, emotional or psychological signs. The 2-year old was orphaned eight months ago when his parents were killed by a drunk driver; there are no other relatives. The twins, brother and sister, were born to an addict, she didn't know who the father was and signed over custody to us. Their health is good, there may be some deficits as the children develop but the doctors won't or can't say what."

"All right, I have everything. I'm going to send this out to the extended family and those going with us on our trek to Albuquerque. I'll let you know as soon as possible."

"Good, now wherever you land, whoever takes the kids should get themselves certified as foster parents and get the kids registered - you remember the drill?"

"I do and we will."

"Great and one more thing. Each child has a suitcase full of clothes, shoes and everything he or she needs. We'll supply cribs and a 'starter kit' for the twins and the two-year old."

"That's good because our foster Lia will probably move out of her crib soon but my wife is expecting in December so we'll need it."

"You have a foster? Are you taking her with you? Wife?"

"Of course! Her adoption should be final any day. We let our caseworker and the courts know our new address. And yes, we married almost three years ago; she adopted Ty and Brynie."

"Wonderful, congratulations! Now, Timothy, call the court today and find out if Lia's adoption has been finalized. Don't wait, if it's not going to happen by Friday, have them transfer everything to the Albuquerque courts with a cover note that you're relocating and make sure they include your new address and phone number and any personal references you have in the area, if you do, and make sure to include my name for your personal references. I might not be in New Mexico but right now, they'll have to take what they can get. They can fax it all."

"All right thanks! I'll call them right now and yes, we know several people. My dad, the kids, and I were in protective custody for several months and lived there."

"My goodness! I am going to miss the excitement that goes with knowing your family!"

He laughed and then said, "Wait, I have a response already!"

She made a happy noise, saying "You read; I'll wait."

It was from his godparents who said they'd love to provide a home for the two older boys. They were taking a load to the warehouse on Thursday, could they pick them up then and sign any papers?

He read that to D'Arcy who sounded like she was near tears. "Bless them! Yes, tell them Thursday at 11 and I'll have everything ready. Oh, I knew your family would help!"

They disconnected, Tim sent a quick reply to his godparents and then called the family court clerk. When he explained what he'd been advised to do, she pulled Lia's records up. "You're all set; Lia is now Lia Hope Soto Gibbs. The paperwork is in the mail; huh, I bet - hang on." He could hear her clicking away and then she made a noise.

When she returned she said, "Can't believe as our last act we got efficient! The adoption was finalized Monday and the paperwork was mailed to your new address in New Mexico. So you're set, this database is and will be available to any Social Services office in the country, the servers have been moved to safety. Baby Lia is all yours."

"Thank you! Good luck and thanks for the information, nice to have something to celebrate!"

"Indeed and good luck to you too!"

Tim saw he had more e-mails but decided to spend a few minutes with his family. By now, his father and Mac had joined Ellie and children in the pool and his mother was playing with the baby. He walked outside and smiled when Lia squealed at him. He scooped her up, kissed her and then faced the family. "May I have your attention please?"

They all stopped, looking at him as he announced, "I'd like to introduce you to Lia Hope Soto Gibbs."

He and Ellie had struggled with a middle name until recently when "Hope" came to mind. It was perfect considering the circumstances. Soto was her Chilean surname and they wanted to honor her birth parents just as her older brother and sister bore the names of their first mothers.

They scared the baby when they cheered and she let out a frightened squawk, scrunching her face, ready to cry. But Daddy was there to comfort her and make things better. When things calmed down, Tim told them about D'Arcy's call and the response he'd already had.

"Wow, that's something, huh?"

"Yeah, I also asked that they forward the e-mail to anyone they knew who could take the children."

"Any more replies?"

"Don't know, wanted to see my family first."

He cooed at Lia who giggled and cooed back at him, clearly saying dada. He beamed, "Mama, mind if I take her? I haven't had any cuddle time in a while."

"Of course, Timson!"

Smiling, he went back in the house to look at his e-mail again, closing only the screen door. He exclaimed loudly as he read a new message. "DAD!"

"What, kiddo?"

"Tony and Maggie want the 2-year old boy!"

"Tony? Our Tony? Anthony DiNozzo, Jr., Mr. 'kids don't like me'?"

"Yes, their note says our kids have shown him he can be a good uncle and if he can be a good uncle, he can be a good dad." Tim laughed, "There's a note from Maggie that says there were no drugs or alcohol involved in their decision, nor has she forced him into anything."

"Wow!"

Shannon called, "What about the twins?"

"Mm, let me look at the next - oh hey, Jim and Claire are taking the little girl, that's great! And the Vances want the twins!"

"Wonderful! Is that all of them?"

"Yeah, unbelievable! I need to tell them the rest, hang on."

He sent out another e-mail congratulating them all and telling them to be at the CPS office in downtown DC at 11:00 AM on Thursday. Then he called D'Arcy and stood at the screen door, holding his phone out so his family could hear her scream with joy.

"All of them, oh Tim, thank you so much!"

After she'd calmed down, she said she'd have multiple caseworkers on hand so no one would have to wait in line for their children and the paperwork. Then she exclaimed again when he told her about Lia.

After telling the Palmers what D'Arcy said about transferring to New Mexico Social Services, Tim took the baby swimming to celebrate and he ended the day feeling much better, with more hope in his heart than he'd had in weeks.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Thursday, June 27th, 2019

By Thursday Tim and Jethro were on a mission to get everything they possibly could to the warehouse. They took the Albuquerque couch, recliner, and most of their patio furniture, which was weatherproof, if not bomb proof, and could stay outside of house and shelter. Ellie found zip covers for each piece of the outdoor furniture and they made sure those were on securely before attaching the tags. That way they wouldn't have to decontaminate the furniture, they'd just remove the covers.

The pool was officially closed for the duration, emptied and spread out to dry, carefully anchoring it. Ty and Brynie's old Big Wheels went in the truck for Lia and little Mac when they were old enough. The family's bicycles, Ellie's saddle, all of their dressers, and one rollaway bed traveled to the warehouse. Mateo would use the second rollaway until Saturday when it too would travel to the warehouse. Those rollaways, purchased at a garage sale in Albuquerque, had certainly come in handy over the years.

Tim's kitchen tools had been greatly reduced, now they packed the rest. They'd use disposable dishes, cups, and cutlery and would eat leftovers or frozen food until they left. They were leaving most of their appliances as they belonged to the house and they had newer ones they'd selected already in place at the ranch. Their front-loading washer, dryer and Tim's state of the art gas oven were going on the trucks. The washer and dryer would go into the shelter while the oven would be put into storage.

Ellie wanted to see the warehouse and rode with Tim in the van while Dad drove his #2 truck and Shannon brought Grandpa and all three kids with her in Ellie's truck. They found Bob, Sarah, and Haley unloading Dad's old pickup (#1 of 2 for one more day) with Geo, Bec, and Kelly pulled up right next to them. Bob looked at Tim, "Boy, you sure know how to light a fire under people! They were almost throwing things in this morning, anxious to get their kids and get papers signed."

They laughed at that and peeked in the warehouse but Bob laughed, "Geordie and Bec were here then too so we straightened it up."

"Thanks!"

Sarah appeared, carrying a large box, "Hey Tim, I called Lu; she said she checked with the station manager and everyone got on the buses."

"That's great, Sis, thanks!"

"She's staying with us tomorrow night so she won't worry about being late Saturday morning."

"That's good, yeah, could be hard to find her. Unless, you know, she turned her cell phone on!"

Dad snorted and they all chuckled. Rob arrived a few minutes later, which caused some confusion as he was supposed to be working his last shift at the hospital today. He shrugged when he saw the looks. "The census is down to 2 patients in pediatrics and about 12 total in the hospital. The children are scheduled to be evacuated tomorrow or Saturday. I worked a half shift; the hospital paid me for a full one. Kelly and I are now officially unemployed."

Kelly tilted her head, "We should send our resumes to the hospitals in Albuquerque before we leave."

Rob's face lit up, "Great idea, Kels! You have time tonight?"

She laughed, "Well I'm not working and I'm as packed as I'm going to be, so yes."

Their parents beamed at them, proud of their attitudes.

They were still unloading when the Palmers arrived with Ducky. "Tim - thanks. We called the Albuquerque CPS office and have Ricky's paperwork all squared away. We're already a quarter of the way through the adoption procedure! And we've officially moved into the Mallard Inn until we leave."

Ducky smiled, "Yes and we don't have to make the beds when we go!"

He was taking his books, table and chairs, his favorite club chair, the leather sofa(s), a few bookshelves, favorite teapot and electric kettle, his bed, nightstands, dresser, clothes and that was it. He looked at Bob, Sarah, Haley, Kelly, Geo and Bec, "Help yourselves to any of my things you might like. Though most of it is old-fashioned."

Breena thought about the china and the beautiful things that had been his mother's and how much it would mean to him if they each took a little something.

"Ladies, why don't you come over tomorrow morning and see if there's anything you'd like to take? There's a lot of beautiful china that belonged to Don's mother."

Shannon smiled, understanding. "I'll come too, Breena. Girls, I'll drive the Challenger; it has a big trunk!"

They all agreed and Tim felt another little weight slip off his shoulders. The women arranged a time to meet in the morning, at the warehouse of course, and they all went back to unloading. Fornell and Emily arrived with the last of their boxes and furniture. After everything was in the warehouse, the group dispersed.

Home again and with Rob and Mac there to help, the men decided to load up the appliances and get them to the warehouse. That would lighten their work on Friday. They had the dolly rescued from the ancient icebox and Jethro had a hand-truck. Using those and using an old piece of plywood as a ramp, they moved the appliances into Jethro's truck, also loading up Shannon's new refrigerator and took them to the warehouse.

Tim prowled the house when they were home again. Everything still there was either not going with them or wouldn't be moved until Saturday morning. The movers would arrive late Friday but would not start loading until Saturday. The transportation team would do a final inventory before everything was transferred onto the trucks.

Each household was also supposed to have their own inventory and they'd been reminded to change them after the sofa situation.

That made Tim think of his parents' new refrigerator all tucked away in the warehouse. It would stay in the house while they were in the shelter; Tim had no idea where it would ultimately be placed but his mother said she'd waited 22 years for his father to buy her a new refrigerator and she'd be darned if she left it behind.

Tim was just glad she'd never seen the icebox thing. The refrigerator remaining behind when they moved to Camp Pendleton later left the house with Diane or Rebecca and Dad bought the icebox at a thrift store. Once Jethro and Stephanie returned from Moscow, she didn't stick around long enough to make many changes.

Thinking about the refrigerator and the exes, he chuckled to himself as he thought of his offer to his father to call Rebecca and Stephanie to tell them about the planned attack. His father stood there staring at him and then frowned, reaching out; he'd been saved by his mother who caught Jethro's arm as she breezed into the room. "I already did that, son, thanks. And Tony helped me contact Delilah and Jake Malloy." Now Tim's eyes matched his father's, wide and surprised. Shannon made a quick exit, holding her laughter until she was in the next room.

The warehouse had an office in the back with a bathroom and kitchenette and the drivers would stay there overnight. Pete said they'd probably sleep in their cabs as they usually did but make use of the facilities. Saturday morning, Tim, Dad, Mom, Rob, Kelly, and Mateo would take all their beds over as well as anything else they'd missed. Then they'd take Tim back to the house, help him load the van and one of the pickups with everything for the plane along with Ellie, the kids, and Mac and then follow them to the airfield.

Once they had everything loaded onto the plane, Dad would take the van and Mom the truck to the warehouse. They'd leave the van, take the truck back to their home to pick up whatever was left, and drive Dad and Ellie's trucks back to the warehouse. They'd brought Abby's hot rod, in better shape than Kyle's vehicle, over from the diner and would tow that to the warehouse to be towed to the ranch. As confusing as it sounded to say or hear the plan, they had it all carefully mapped out.

With all the drivers and vehicles, they'd determined that without tows and despite their careful counts, they'd only have one extra driver. The change occurred when the DiNozzos, Cranes, and Hubbards acquired foster children. Three of the women were now flying with their foster children instead of driving. Tim contacted Pete and as they'd discussed earlier, all four of the moving vans would have tow trailers, taking five vehicles off the list to be driven. Now they had 6 more drivers than vehicles and they'd be able to rotate.

At the other end, the Ortizes and the Bishops, who were traveling to the ranch on Friday, would be at the airstrip on Saturday with trucks and would ferry the air passengers from the Ortiz property to the Gibbs' ranch. Dad remarked to Tim that he was glad now they'd spent the extra time making a shortcut, a dirt road, between the two ranches.

While the air passengers were en route and getting settled in, the rest of the crew in DC would finish moving everything to the warehouse. Bob, Bill, and Barry would work with the movers to make sure everything that was supposed to go was moved into the trucks. They'd also map out their route with Pete, the lead driver, so that all the drivers knew what to expect. Nancy and the Rourkes would be at the warehouse by 7:00 AM.

The pool was nearly dry; Tim made a note to get it to the warehouse tomorrow. No other toys were in the backyard; they either were packed or had been quietly given away. Inspecting the kids' nearly empty rooms, Tim spotted something on the floor in the back of Brynie's closet and frowned when he saw it was Neigh. He knew from his daughter's baby book that the stuffed horse had been a present from Sue and Deeny on Bryn's first birthday, there was no way Neigh was staying behind! He scooped him up.

He heard the kids and Ellie coming in, they'd been to the park. She looked at him and then around the house. "Our first house."

He smiled at her, noticing her baby belly had grown some more. "Yes, but not our last and that's the important part!" They'd heard from their landlords who thanked them for being wonderful tenants, wished them the best of luck and returned the cashier's check the Gibbses sent. Their note said that while they appreciated the honesty, they wouldn't feel right about accepting the money when the Gibbses were being forced to leave. The Gibbses cashed the check and tucked the money away.

The kids wandered around the house, looking at what was left. Brynie went upstairs and yelled, "Where's Neigh? Mommy, Daddy, where is he?"

She ran downstairs, "I left him on the floor of the closet so I'd know where he was and now he's gone."

Tim picked her up, "Honey, I have him, he's all right. I found him where you left him; I was afraid we'd forget him."

She calmed as Tim carried her upstairs to hand over Neigh. "Now, where are you going to put him so we won't think he's lost?"

"In my suitcase, Daddy."

"That's a good idea, sweetie." He kissed her and she ran back to her room.

As his parents weren't taking their dining room table, the one that had originally belonged to Sue and Deeny or Dad's least favorite grill, they had dinner with Poppy, Nonny, and Grandpa. As they walked down the sidewalk, one of the neighbors across the street looked up from watering his roses. "Hello Gibbses! When are you taking off?"

"Saturday, Reg."

"Wow. We're leaving a week from today, driving out to Arizona in the RV, towing the car. My uncle left me a house in Cave Creek, near Phoenix; we've been renting it out but it's empty now. We'll live in the RV until it's cleaned up." He shook their hands, "Guess this is goodbye. Best of luck to you!"

"And to you too, Reg. Have a safe trip."

They continued to Poppy's house and when they got inside Ty asked, "Daddy, how come you didn't ask him to stop by our ranch?"

"Because by the time they'd be driving by we'll be very busy getting everything ready, Tyler."

"Busy like we are now?"

"Even busier which means we'll need your help again."

His face lit up, "All right Daddy!"

They moved the table outside to eat on the deck one last time. Jethro thought they'd do this a lot at the ranch, once it was safe. They'd probably have to with so many people!

They didn't stay late as everyone had a lot to do on Friday. Their last day in Virginia. For the first time Tim let himself think of the Shenandoah Valley and the beautiful trees. Those would probably be gone, centuries of old growth, annihilated. He hoped someone was taking seedlings out of there. The geography would be there, the mountains but in what shape? Then he remembered the article about Chernobyl, how trees had grown back and wild animals returned.

That led to wondering if the area zoos had moved the animals yet and then he shook his head, he had to stop. He needed to continue focusing on helping his family and friends get to safety. He thought about Jim O'Brien, he'd left nearly a week ago and let Rick know he'd reached his brother's place in California. One safe! More than that, his staff was safe.

He'd heard from Balboa when he reported for work at the Monterey CA office. The shelter folks would be reaching their destinations in the next three days. He wished he could have given them happier lives too but that was up to them. Nikki Jardine and two other Intel analysts were in northern Maine; Nikki had her comatose brother transported up there too. The analysts would be working remotely until After. Leon didn't want anyone near the sub base up there, just in case.

Retired Admiral Uncle Dave said the fleets would be at sea for the next few months; right now, the Navy was moving equipment and dependents to safer areas. The Marine Corps was quietly doing the same thing, moving families and equipment out of several states along the mid-Atlantic; anyone within a 300 mile radius of Washington, D.C.

Geordie had already moved to the reserves; now he told his wife and family that he expected to be called back to active duty after the attack. There were no Marine bases in New Mexico and the biggest base, White Sands, was Army before it closed. He hoped to be working in Arizona, Colorado or Texas, somewhere close enough that he could easily get home on leave. Maggie, too, expected to be called back to active duty.

Tim shook himself from his reverie; he was tired again. He figured he'd be tired until they left the shelter and then their baby would arrive and they'd all be tired! He and Ellie turned in as soon as the children were asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Friday, June 28th, 2019

Tim woke at 0230, eventually falling back to sleep, waking again at 0600 when he heard Lia on the baby monitor. He got her up, cleaned, changed and then took her with him to the kitchen where they enjoyed their favorite morning beverages, milk and coffee. Ty and Brynie were up next, he popped frozen waffles into the toaster oven, heated frozen scrambled eggs in the microwave, poured juice and milk. He gave Lia some Cheerios to play with and when the waffles and eggs were ready he gave the older two their breakfasts, waiting till everything cooled to give some to Lia.

Ellie woke in time for the second batch of frozen waffles and eggs and the two of them ate together, talking about what needed doing. She'd already figured out that Tim wanted some things from Ducky's house and eventually pried it out of him.

"They're his treasures, Hon. Besides his stories and us, they're what he has. I want something, a couple of things, for him. He thinks he's taking too much and aside from those couches, he's hardly taking anything. But if we take his treasures and his books, he'll be happy. He'll believe that he and his mother won't be forgotten."

"As if we'd ever forget him! Did you ever meet his mother?"

He chuckled, "She was pretty senile by the time I joined the team but yes, I met her twice. The first time was during my first year aboard the Yard. Ducky was a target for revenge; Kate and Tony were on protection detail at his house. The only time I really saw her up close was a couple of years later when she was in the office and created some havoc. She tried to get into MTAC and called Boss "Matthew", she seemed very fond of him. Dad says she was a real pistol before the senility set in, used to have big parties at their place in Reston, a beautiful place. Did you ever see an old TV show called "Big Valley"?"

"Of course, I was in love with the brothers!"

He chuckled, "So was Sarah; we discovered it when we lived with Mrs. Ferguson in Cambridge. Anyway, the outside of Ducky's house in Reston reminded me of the Barkley home."

"Wow! He really downsized in Georgetown."

"Yes although he still has five bedrooms."

"Speaking of bedrooms, the kids are going to have to use the dormitories at the ranch and we'll need the same setup in the shelter. We'll put all the boys in one room, the girls in another and I guess the babies two and under will go in a third bedroom, a nursery like we have in the house."

"Are you including Callum and Ainsley in that?"

"Yes. The two new older Crane boys with Nick, and Jared. Then the younger girls, Chesnie, Brynie, Victoria, Lissie Fuller and the new Hubbard girl in a room."

"Hannah."

"Ok and then Teddy, little DiNozzo and the twins. Maybe Lia and Ricky or maybe our little ones stay with their parents."

"Little DiNozzo is Arin, Vance twins are Zach and Zoey and the Cranes' fosters are Jeff and Matt. You realize we'll have to move Lia when our new baby comes?"

"Good point. All right, Lia goes in with Teddy, Arin and the twins and I suspect Ricky will be in with them too. How many rooms is that?"

"Five or six, I lost track of who's sharing. Sorry."

"That's ok." She sighed, "You're right, there are too many to figure out this way. We'll figure it out when we get there. At least our parents, your siblings, the Palmers, Mac and Ducky."

"What about the three season porch? It's screened in and I remember curtains. And don't forget the cabins have all been renovated."

"Oh yeah, the cabins, can't wait to see them! We'll see if anyone sleeps out on the porch. And the others can duke out who gets what. We have our own room and we're not giving it up."

"Right!" Tim scrunched his face, rubbing his forehead as his wife turned to something else. That gave him a bit of a headache!

Brynie wanted to stay home with her mom so when Ty, Lia, and Tim were through eating, they waved goodbye to the rest of the family and drove to Georgetown to the 'Mallard Inn'. Tim looked around as they entered, he could see empty spots where things had been removed.

Jimmy and his two older kids were taking a load to the warehouse with his brother-in-law Brad. Breena was sorting books with Ducky while baby Ricky played in his kiddie corral. Lia joined him and the two stared at each other before making friendly noises.

Boxes of books were everywhere in the living room. Most of the boxes were sealed and labeled, only a few left open. Weaving around through the open boxes, looking at the titles, Tim picked up a book, asking, "What's this?"

Ducky looked up, studying the cover of the book, "Ah, that was a gift sent to me from a wonderful museum in Athens, the Benaki. It's a fascinating look at ancient Greece and many things that are no longer commonly known. For example, did you know that the Greek language that loaned so many words to Latin and the rest of the world was not the main dialect? There are several ancient dialects, Arcadocypriot, for example is one of them."

Tim looked at him, staring although Ducky saw that he was thinking. Then he paled, saying, "Do you…are there examples of these dialects, with their words, alphabets? And I need my phone…no Ducky, I might need to use your landline, is it still working?"

"Yes Timothy, the dialects are here in the book and yes my phone is still working, cut-off is tomorrow."

Now standing next to Tim, Ducky took the book and opened it to the chapter that had the most about the various dialects. Tim ran his finger down, evidently looking for something specific. He stopped at something, flipped the page, and ran his finger down again, making an unhappy noise. "Ok, I do need your phone. Then please take Ty, Lia and Ricky somewhere else in the house? Breena too." He shook his head, "No, first, Ducky, will you please tell me what you find for these?" Tim quickly wrote down several things and handed the paper to Ducky.

The elderly man took the list, found them in the pages and writing down his answers, handed the list back to Tim who looked as if it were a venomous snake about to strike.

"I - thank you. Changed my mind; stay please, both of you, the kids too. Ducky, I might need you to find something else in the book and Breena needs to know. Tyler too."

"All right."

Tim was dialing as he spoke and when the call was answered, he said, "Timothy Jackson Gibbs, Senior Agent NCIS, ID 111803107-S, Passcode 57S*&H9M6."

He waited before saying, "Imperative I speak with Secretary Benson immediately. I've solved the last cipher and it changes everything."

There was silence; Tyler stood with Granducky, Breena stood still, an open book forgotten in one hand; Lia and Ricky played with an empty box.

Tim put the phone on speaker as a voice said, "This is Secretary Benson, Agent Gibbs. We're in the Situation Room and you're on speaker so the President can hear you."

"Thank you, Sir. Referencing the NSA files, as you know, we did not solve the last cipher in the third file. Until now. I'm at a friend's house sorting books; he has one on Ancient Greece and told me about some dialects most of us don't know about. And that's it. The last part of the third file had four languages: Sumerian, Phoenician, Ugaratic and one we couldn't identify. Now I know it's called Arcadocypriot.

"The characters in the cipher that are in that dialect mean the number four, the number seven, the words day and month. The Ugaratic cipher had month and hours; there is no word for day in Ugaratic. The Sumerian and Phoenician had characters that translate to the word freedom and the word tyranny. Madam President, I now believe the attack is going to happen the fourth day of the seventh month, July 4th, our Independence Day. The day we celebrate freedom from tyranny."

There was a huge explosion of background noise; Tim supposed they were talking about evacuation. Finally, he heard the President's voice speaking to him, "Agent Gibbs, what's your confidence level?"

"98%, Ma'am. It finally makes sense. The files talk about attack and unleashing nuclear devices but no date. We saw references to harvests and waning seasons and that led to our estimate of an autumn attack. And possibly that's what they meant us to think. If they're as arrogant as they must be then they wouldn't believe we'd have the knowledge to figure out the phrases in four ancient languages and what they meant."

"All right, well done. We have an evacuation plan ready, I've just given the order to begin implementing it immediately. When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow. Those of us with children are flying out on a charter, the rest are following after loading up moving vans."

"And which group are you in?"

"The first one. My wife and I have three children and another on the way."

"Are any of your children with you now?"

"Yes, my son Ty and my daughter Lia."

"May I speak with them?"

"Of course."

Ducky brought Lia over and held her while Ty took the phone. "This is Tyler Dean Gibbs and my baby sister Lia Hope Gibbs is listening."

"How old are you and your sister, Tyler?"

"I'm 6 ½, Mrs. President and my sister is…" he looked at his father who whispered, "8 months."

"My sister is 8 months. Our other sister is 5 ½ but she's not here."

"I see. Tyler, Lia, I want to tell you that your father is a hero; he's just saved many lives. Did you hear what he said?"

"Yes, Ma'am but I don't know what those languages are."

"That's all right, Tyler, you'll learn all about them as you grow up."

"Cool, thank you!"

Tim got back on the phone and answered a few more questions, telling whomever he was speaking with the name of the book and the author. He and the others then listened for a few minutes as the Cabinet and the Joint Chiefs put things together.

When Benson got back on the phone, Tim had another epiphany, "Sir, time zones - we talked about this before; we don't know what time zone they're in. They may set off the attack at midnight their time."

"What's the greatest time difference?"

Tim had his chart up on his phone, "Tonga, 17 hours ahead of DC."

"Very well, Agent Gibbs, then that will be our deadline. Thank you! Expect to hear from us once things are settled afterward."

They disconnected and Tim patted Ducky's book. "Think that's going with us on the plane."

"Yes, I should say so!"

"And I think we'd better plan to get everything moved to the warehouse tonight. Maybe we'll all sleep there. It's closer to the airfield than most of our homes and there is a bathroom."

"We can stay here, Timothy, we're less than five miles from the airfield and I know the backroads. You're welcome to join us. All the extra beds are staying behind."

"Thanks, Ducky, we'll see. Now, we originally came over to pick out a treasure or two."

"You mean besides the answer to the cipher?"

Tim gave him a nervous nod, "Yes."

Breena gave him a hug and then went back to sorting books, still reeling from what she'd witnessed. She knew Tim as a friend, a fellow parent and one of Jimmy's colleagues. She'd never witnessed this side of Timothy Gibbs, the one who made the connection with the archaic language and called a number, getting right through to the Secretary of Defense and the President. She'd never forget what happened here this morning.

Still almost speechless, Ducky showed them his mother's china but Ty's eyes had gone to the walls of the library where several decorative plates with various trains were placed around the room. With a smile and nod from Granducky, Tim plucked them off the wall. "There you go, Tyler. We'll wrap them carefully and take them with us."

He looked at the various items in one of the china cabinets, asking for two particular vases. One was a Hull, an early 20th century design and the other was Wedgwood, in a design he'd never seen before. Full sets of Waterford water glasses and wine glasses, 12 in each set, along with a Waterford three piece set of salt and pepper shakers and sugar bowl. A Belleek vase was joined by a sugar bowl, creamer, another set of salt and pepper shakers, teapot, four cups and saucers in the same pattern. When Ducky showed him a box with a crystal chandelier that he said was Baccarat, Tim nodded, "We'll take that too, Ducky, if that's all right."

There was plenty of bubble wrap and boxes and Ty helped wrap and pack everything. While they were wrapping, Tim spotted a plate that Ducky had decorated when he was a small boy; he'd signed it Donnie Mallard. That came with them too. He also picked up a two-slot photo frame. The first photo showed a much younger Ducky with his little brother Nicholas. The second photo had Ducky four years ago with Nicholas, shortly after Ducky reunited with him. As Tim remembered, this was the only photo the two men had time for as Nicholas died soon after. Exchanging a look with Breena, Tim wrapped it carefully and put it with the rest of their things. Breena would collect it later. Neither had any idea why Ducky hadn't packed it; they'd tackle that issue later.

Loading the treasure boxes into the van, Ty decided they would go on the plane with them and his father agreed. Gathering Lia and the diaper bag, they left before the women got there. Ty worried, "Daddy, did we take all the good stuff?"

"No son, there's plenty more. And it was fun to do by ourselves with Granducky and Aunt Breena, wasn't it?"

"Yes! Daddy, the president said you're a hero."

"Yes she did, son but I was only doing my job."

"Is your job being a hero?"

"No, Tyler Dean, my job is to catch bad guys and protect people from them."

Ty didn't say anything else but thought that catching bad guys was also a hero's job. He'd ask Poppy. Sometimes Daddy didn't like to talk about his work.

Back at the house, they left the boxes in the van and went inside to find Ellie and Brynie gone, on their way to Ducky's with Nonny and the aunties. There were still a few things that needed doing at the house and right now the pool was foremost on Tim's mind as the temperature was already in the mid 80's and climbing. While Ty helped his father roll it up, they needed Poppy to help move it.

When Tim's dad arrived with Mac, Ty said proudly, "Guess what, Poppy, Grandpa? Lia and I got to talk with the President and she says Daddy's a hero!"

"What happened, Ty?"

"Daddy found something in one of Granducky's books and then his face went all funny and he asked Granducky if he could use his phone and then he said to wait, would Granducky look up a bunch of things and tell him what they meant. Granducky did that and gave the paper back to Daddy. Then Daddy called someone and said all kinds of secret numbers and things and then he was talking with the President!"

"And Daddy, what did you say to the president?"

Tim told him and his father and grandfather grabbed him, hugging him so hard he felt like he might need Tony's oxygen. Finally, they let go. "So proud of you, son!"

"Dad, we should have had that cracked weeks ago!"

"Did anyone ask language professors or anyone about the languages?"

Tim nodded and then went white. "Oh my God, he…Dad, he lied!"

"Who? You mean whoever they asked?"

"Yes! It was a professor of ancient languages and he's listed as one of the sources for the book, Ducky's book!"

Grabbing his phone, he once again dialed the number for Secretary Benson. When he had him on the line, he gave the name of the man who'd been consulted and the Secretary thanked him profusely. "We knew your team consulted with someone but it wasn't clear in the notes. Now we know."

Tim got off the line and stood there shaking until his father led him to one of the few remaining chairs and gently pushed him into it. Grandpa took one of Ellie's tea bags, made a cup of tea and found some sugar for it. Tim took it and drank it in one gulp. "That's one dirt bag identified. Maybe they can find the others behind this and stop it!"

"Keep thinking those good thoughts, son. In the meantime, we need to keep moving. After this load, we need to get the appliances from the diner."

They loaded up the last few things for the moving van and took them to the warehouse, taking both trucks to fit Mac, Ty and Lia. Traffic was sparse. From there they went to the diner, meeting Bob and Geordie there. Although Lia stayed in the truck, luckily she was dozing, the rest of them worked together to get the appliances moved. Tyler and Grandpa Mac carried the electrical cords so they wouldn't be stepped on or tripped over while the others got the dishwasher, refrigerator and oven into the trucks. The freezer was a walk-in and they'd decided not to take it. Back at the warehouse, there were other folks unloading and everyone pitched in to get the industrial-sized appliances into the building. Lia was fascinated with everything and was not pleased when she wasn't allowed to explore.

When they got home, Tim walked over to Reg's house. When he answered the door, Tim told him they needed to leave today or tomorrow, that they'd pinned the date of the attack to July 3rd or 4th. His neighbor hugged him, saying they'd leave later that day.

Neighbor Hank came back from gassing up their RV and Jethro told him. They were gone in three hours, Reg, his wife and kids following Hank and his wife in their RV, both towing vehicles. They'd caravan for a few hundred miles before parting ways. For two blocks in every direction, houses were empty. Their other neighbors were already gone.

The Rourkes and Nancy were advised. Once her moving van had taken her commercial and personal items, Nancy drove to Georgetown and shared Sarah and Bob's guest room with Ms. Lu. As Elaine and Jacob had further to travel to the warehouse from their home, they drove over to the Gibbses that night.

On E. Laurel Avenue, the family and guests listened to the President's emergency address on Dad's radio.

The President addressed all Americans and then welcomed the Canadian Prime Minister who asked that Canadians in the eastern, maritime and border provinces listen closely to this and future broadcasts, that the President's words applied to them as well. The President of Mexico was also introduced although he said Mexico's role would be one of rescue and shelter; scientists did not anticipate any problems from the attacks for his country.

After the introductions, the President told of the nuclear threat, a credible one, that they now believed would take place between 7:00 am Eastern Daylight Time on July 3rd and 11:59 PM EDT on July 4th.

There was a well-organized evacuation plan already underway as of 9:30 AM that day. When they heard that, Ty looked at his father, he'd been on the phone with the President at 9:30 that morning; he remembered looking at a big clock on Granducky's wall. Everyone within 200 miles of DC would be evacuated, a daunting number of nearly 40 million people although the President reported that approximately 6 million people were already gone or in the process of leaving on their own.

Those outside of the two hundred mile limit but within 2200 miles, as far west as Winslow, Arizona or Pocatello, Idaho, should seek shelter. That included people in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The President added that requirements, plans and directions for building bomb shelters were online at each state, county, and provincial website and were also included in that evening's newspapers and would continue to be published and posted online. The President and Prime Minister advised that many schools and hospitals had basements sufficient for sheltering, cautioning that space would be limited.

All commercial flights in and out of the region were canceled. Instead, all available aircraft, commercial, cargo, civilian and military, was flying in empty of passengers and cargo. Using every airport, airfield, airstrip and military base in the evacuation zones, they'd leave with evacuees.

Tim paled as the President named the possible strike zones: the DC Metro area, Virginia and Maryland with the blast range potentially covering much of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, eastern Ohio, northern North Carolina and northeastern West Virginia.

Once planes were back in the air with evacuees, others would land and when all those aircraft were away, Canadian and Mexican aircraft along with those from the Danish territory of Greenland and the countries of Central and South America would land and load. By the time they were back in the air, aircraft from other allies would land and load up in a never-ending procession.

Buses, large SUVs, vans, and limousines of every type, driven by the National Guard and other members of the military, were already in the expected strike zones and would go to every neighborhood of every outpost, town, city, suburb and village within that 200-mile radius. Joint service teams were on the ground helping to clear each street, each house, and apartment building, delivering residents to the airports. The evacuation would continue 24/7. Ships of the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, the Mexican, French and Spanish Navies, the Canadian, and British Royal Navies would evacuate coastal areas and offshore islands. Privately owned or commercial watercraft capable of transporting a minimum of 10 passengers was welcome to join and should contact the U.S. Coast Guard.

Evacuees were advised to bring one suitcase and one carry-on each with clothing and footwear appropriate for warm and cold weather, any prescription medicine and any other medical devices needed. There was a number given to call for those with special needs. Those residents with pets should have them in crates, kennels or cages and bring any of the pets' food they had available. Separate teams were evacuating large animals to ranches out of the blast zones; other large animal teams were using large trucks to save as much livestock as possible.

Evacuees would be delivered to locations around the United States, Canada, Mexico, Greenland, and several of the Central, South American, and Caribbean nations. When they landed, they'd be met by vehicles that would take them to temporary housing. They'd be sheltered in houses, apartments, office buildings, tents; anywhere there was protection from the elements, a source of water and restroom facilities.

The American, International Red Cross and many other aid agencies were outfitting each housing venue with the basics. Truck and trainloads of donated goods were on their way to the sites where people would be housed.

When the evacuees reached their destinations, each family, couple or individual would be given a box of groceries with enough water, canned or packaged food that could be eaten cold, to last a month. In addition, thousands of individual vehicles were on their way to Florida, the northernmost parts of Maine and routes west.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While calling Secretary Benson from Ducky's house, Tim says his ID and passcode. Cyber cookies and a shout-out to anyone who can decipher the ID and spot what's in the passcode. Feel free to use outside resources such as IMDb.com, Twitter or Facebook (if you follow the actor who plays Timothy McGee (aka Tim Gibbs in this universe) or any of the many NCIS sites!


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Saturday - Sunday, June 29th - June 30th, 2019

The children were the only ones who slept Friday night. Tim and Ellie finally gave up around 0300 Saturday morning; Tim moved their suitcases downstairs while Ellie showered. Mateo and Mac were already up, making coffee. They knocked on the door of the RV finding Jacob and Elaine wide-awake and ready to help. The four men loaded the van and truck with everything that was left, stopping long enough to eat. Then they got the kids up, dressed, and saw the lights on down the street at Poppy and Nonny's, the only other occupied house on either side of the street. By 0500, they were ready to go. After taking one last look around the house, trying not to think about what would happen to it, they walked out the door. Out of habit, Tim moved to press the lock for the front door but with a hard swallow stopped himself.

Strapping the children into their seats, they kissed and hugged each other, perhaps in farewell to the lives they'd led here, before setting out for the airfield.

Before they could back out of the driveways, a large bus turned onto the street, an evacuation bus. It pulled over to the curb and Jacob, Tim, Mateo, Mac and Jethro went to speak to the coordinator, giving their names and addresses, who was with each of them and letting them know they were either flying or driving out of the evacuation zone that morning. Once they were registered, they returned to the vehicles and continued on their way while the evac bus operators dispersed to knock on every door (except for 505 and 515) to ensure the homes were vacant. As the Gibbses and friends drove away, they heard a series of three long honks, they guessed to wake up anyone that might still be in the area.

Mateo, driving his car for the last time, led the Rourkes to the warehouse while the others continued to the airfield. On the way, the young man pulled over on a main street, leaving his car unlocked with the key in it. It might be a beater but it still ran and the gas tank was full, someone could at least get to southern Virginia or possibly North Carolina in it. He'd made 2 signs that said, "It runs, take it and be safe!" and now put them in the front and back windows. Then he climbed into the Rourkes' RV and they continued to the warehouse. In Georgetown, Bob and Sarah did the same thing with Jethro's old truck as did Ned, Ms. Lu and others with their vehicles.

The flights, buses, limos, and taxis had continued all night and the Gibbses saw more evacuation activity as they traveled to the airfield, the vistas seeming unreal in the lightening sky. Relieved that Charlie their pilot was already there, they got busy loading the plane, tucking Ellie and the kids into their seats first. As they finished, the Palmers, Ducky, and Ed drove up and offloaded. They finished with everyone else's help: the Hubbards, Cranes, DiNozzos, Lu, Kelly, Sarah, Bob and Rob, the rest of the Slaters, Tobias and Emily, Evan Fuller and family and finally the Vances. With so many helpers, it didn't take long to load the jet and Charlie and his flight crew were kept busy moving things around in the cargo area to balance the load. Charlie chuckled as he moved the kids' wading pool, anchoring it lightly so it wouldn't move around too much.

Once everyone was there and everything was aboard, the drivers kissed and hugged those who were leaving and then determinedly left for the warehouse or the Timothy Gibbs' house. As Tobias left, he handed an envelope to Tim. When he looked at it, he saw it was for Emily, 'in case'.

The drivers were highly motivated. The sooner everything was aboard the moving trucks, the sooner they'd be on the road and at the ranch, reuniting with their family and friends. Bob reported the guys were already at the warehouse taking the final inventory and knew the Gibbses still had a few things coming. The movers were loading the trucks and everyone was helping, following their orders. Nancy and the Rourkes were also helping.

Tim watched his parents, sisters, brothers, new sister-in-law and brother-in-law drive off and it was all he could do to stay in his seat. Then Ellie and Mac were there, his kids and Rob and he remembered why he was flying today. Priorities.

With all the air traffic, it took nearly an hour to be assigned a position, but as they were also an evacuation flight the charter was finally assigned a spot and took off. As they flew over Dulles, they looked out the windows, seeing the gates loaded with aircraft from the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with a line on the runway waiting to go and others to taxi in. They knew Reagan National and BWI, also known as Thurgood Marshall Airport, would look the same. Busy - a normal looking day for the region. Until one took into account what was going on.

At the warehouse, the moving vans were nearly a third loaded by the time the airfield drivers arrived. A keen sense of urgency, bordering on a tightly controlled panic, kept them going and by 1030, the moving vans, cars, RV, and trucks were ready to roll. They set off, Pete Ware's truck in the lead with more than 20 vehicles and two movers interspersed behind him, the fourth moving truck bringing up the rear.

It was a long day but everyone was anxious to put as many miles as possible between Washington DC and the planned stop for the night. At the truckers' insistence, they stopped for their second rest break in Nashville 7 hours after leaving the warehouse.

There were emergency road crews out everywhere, pulling stalled or disabled vehicles off the road, quickly changing tires, adding gas, oil, changing air filters, whatever could be done quickly. Shannon spotted at least three large flatbed trucks with new tires stacked high, she guessed those would replace tires too damaged to just change or for those who might only have a temporary, or donut, tire. Portable toilets, commonly referred to as Porta-potties, also dotted the roadside; it looked like they'd been placed every fifteen miles. Crates of bottled water shared space with the Porta-potties and they saw vehicles pulling over, people grabbing a few bottles before continuing. Emergency medical service vehicles were also parked in various spots although the caravan drivers didn't see any that had 'customers'.

Traffic kept moving and the caravan's speed picked up when they took the cutoff for the southern route. When they finally stopped, Elaine and Jacob pulled out the lunches they'd made the night before and distributed them along with cold drinks.

Memphis had been their original target for overnight but after some discussion, Shannon called the KOA there and cancelled, moving their overnight destination to a KOA on the western side of Little Rock Arkansas, 130 miles and two and a half hours farther west than Memphis. They'd be 1006 miles away from DC, outside of the blast zone, if DC was the sole target.

When they finally rolled in, the KOA operators couldn't believe their eyes, they'd never seen a caravan quite like this. In minutes, tents were up, foam pads, and sleeping bags were down and most of the drivers were sound asleep. The men rotated guard duty, five at a time for two hours each shift.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Two hours into the flight, Tim finally relaxed enough to sleep, his wife and kids curled up with him. He woke when their co-pilot announced their imminent arrival. "Everyone back to your seats and buckle up, we're starting our descent to the Ortiz Regional airfield. The air is clear and if you'll look out your windows, you can just begin to see that there are plenty of vehicles on the ground waiting for you."

Tim watched over Brynie and Ellie's shoulders as they approached the newly minted "regional airfield".

Tomas, the head of the Ortiz clan, had originally been persuaded to reopen the airstrip by gaining an understanding of the number of paying customers who might fly in on private or charter aircraft, stay in their guesthouses and bunkhouse, ride their horses and eat his daughter-in-law's delicious meals. Tamara was ecstatic as this would triple her wedding and honeymoon bookings. Until the threat of nuclear attack had raised its ugly head, she'd been pushing for three additional guesthouses, high end, upscale specifically for honeymooners of all ages. When she was told of the probable attack, she folded up her plans, tucking them neatly away. The honeymoon cabins could wait, right now a shelter for all of them was far more important. In the meantime, the humble airstrip had been upgraded to a paved airfield.

The plane landed gracefully, rolling down the runway to a stop. When one of the flight attendants opened the door and lowered the gangway, the passengers heard cheers from below. As they deplaned, the cheers grew and when the Gibbses appeared, they grinned at the mass of Bishops and Ortizes waiting for them. Tyler and Brynie waved excitedly and little Lia copied them, squealing with glee.

Tim squinted in the bright sunlight as he walked down the stairs; he thought he saw Marshall Mann in the crowd. Tomas, Steve, Roger, and Tamara Ortiz, Jerry, and Barbara Bishop were in the front of the group, welcoming each passenger and motioning them to an awning set up to provide shade. The cheers continued as people deplaned; the passengers for the most part smiled tiredly and headed for the awning.

Tim hugged and kissed his in-laws and handed Lia to her grandma. Over the years, Barbara's grandma name had shortened from Grandma Barbara to Grandma Barb and now was simply Grandma. Because Shannon was Nonny, there was no confusion for the Gibbs' grandchildren and the Bishop grandchildren managed just fine. Once Ellie and the kids were in the shade, Tim turned around to help unload the cargo and found the process already well under way. A large truck had appeared next to the cargo deck and several people were offloading luggage, cribs, artwork, and boxes of assorted belongings.

When Tim made a move to help, he was told he'd done enough and was officially off duty for the time being. Bemused, he headed back to the shade, accepting a bottle of a hydration drink as he walked. He knew he was exhausted but assumed everyone else was too. Jerry Bishop patted him on the shoulder, "You have no idea what you've done, do you?"

He looked at him, bewildered until Tyler answered his grandfather, "The president told me he's a hero!"

"That's right, Tyler, he is, a hero to the whole country, the whole world really!"

Tim frowned, "For what?"

"For figuring out the date, Timothy."

"Oh. But I was doing my job; finishing the job I was assigned."

A familiar voice spoke; he knew he'd seen Marshall Mann in the crowd. "Says every hero everywhere."

Tim shook his head, "Hey Marshall, good to see you. But no, if I'd also been able to tell them who are planning this, then maybe but guys, it's what I get paid to do."

Leon appeared beside him. "Timothy, accept it on behalf of all the people who are following what you started, getting people out of danger."

Tim gave him a wan smile. "I understand what everyone's saying but I don't think this is the time to celebrate."

Barbara sat beside him, "Honey, in times like this that's exactly what we need, a reason to celebrate, to continue the work, to keep going. And you are exhausted."

She looked up with a frown at the three doctors, Ducky, Rob, and Jimmy, noticing they looked almost as exhausted as Tim did. "You're all exhausted. Let's get you to the house."

Tamera Ortiz approached the doctors, "I'm afraid I have some bad news. A box was delivered here for Dr. Mallard from a medical equipment company. When my husband picked it up, it sounded like whatever was in there was in bits and pieces and before he could put it down again, the whole box fell apart in his hands. He grabbed what he could but I'm afraid it's pretty well trashed. We saved it just as it was so you could see. We're hoping you can put it back together."

Ducky sighed, "That was our ultrasound. Oh dear. Well, Eleanor has had her 12-week but it is three weeks too early for her next one. Even ten days longer would be useful but now it's simply too soon."

Barbara stepped forward again, "Is there any harm in waiting until we're released from the shelter?"

"It depends on how long it will be, but we will have to wait, it can't be helped."

As Barbara guided them to the waiting vehicles, she chastised herself and Jerry for not anticipating the exhaustion. They'd only had 15 people to prepare and move. Tim led the way for more than 60 people and she knew he'd helped more people than that. And all those people had had to sort, tag, and move everything they owned, everything they wanted to keep for After. The Bishops brought beds, dressers, clothes and a few old appliances. Their homes would be intact when they were able to return. She remembered that the big man from the camp, Nate, had died and that the Gibbs' brothers, Sarah and the other young men had gone to the shelter to give away bus tickets. Ellie had also told her of Tim's determination to get his staff out of harm's way and his inclusion of their favorite delivery person in their group.

Barbara thought these were wonderful actions in a horrible situation but now she was seeing the physical and emotional toll it had taken on her son-in-law. And they still had many hours of work ahead of them getting the shelter set up. The fish and birds would be delivered tomorrow. The Gibbs' aquarium, birdcage and a larger cage for Mel's parrot had traveled on the plane so they would get them set up this afternoon. The dogs and cats would also arrive tomorrow, which meant their shelter would have to be finished today.

Once the caravan arrived, they'd have to move everything off the trucks and cars and into the shelter or storage. First things first, they'd have a meal together now and talk about what needed to happen next, get their priorities set.

The flight crew would stay with the Ortizes for a few hours, taking a break. They'd originally planned to fly to Hawaii to wait out the attack there but with the ongoing evacuation process, they'd changed their plans. They'd return to DC, refuel, pick up a planeload of evacuees and deliver them to whichever location was dictated. They'd already contacted the evacuation flight coordinator and were slotted to return to the same airfield they'd left this morning for their next batch of evacuees.

Once the new arrivals were at the ranch house, they relaxed a bit and the younger children ran around the place. The new kids, the DiNozzos' Arin, the Vances' Zach and Zoey, the Cranes' Jeff and Matt, the Hubbards' Hannah, had been shy when they boarded the plane but felt better when they saw other kids. The twins in particular were very excited about Lia and Ricky, the two babies, chattering about them for half the flight.

At the house the kids would be sharing rooms, all the boys, all the girls while the babies two and under would sleep in their parents' rooms, as they'd probably need to use the nursery for adults. Because they'd be moving into the shelter as soon as possible after the caravan arrived, their luggage and boxes were now taken straight into the shelter. Everyone had overnight bags for their brief stay in the house or guesthouses.

The Bishops prepared a simple meal for everyone and they devoured the eggs, bacon, hash browns, fresh fruit and toast. Liz Crane quipped that she was eating as if she'd been without food for days rather than a few hours and the others agreed. Tim really liked his godparents as well as the Hubbards.

While Tim wasn't quite sure just how close Ducky and Grammie, the two old 'friends', had been back in London of the 1950's, things were definitely friendly now. He hoped things went well, he loved Ducky and was already fond of Grammie and it would be great if the two found happiness together. The emotional barriers he'd had for years against unknown relatives crumbled as he spent more time with the Hubbards and Cranes, developing affection for all of them.

He'd already discovered that he and Maisie, that is Grammie, shared a few interests. Like Mac, she'd been an accountant but told Tim she'd always wanted to teach higher mathematics. Her eyes lit up when he told her about the math classes he'd taught while in Albuquerque three years ago and she wanted to know how he'd approached the subject matter. She was excited to learn that he and Sarah were writers, confessing that she'd been writing poetry and short stories most of her life although she'd never tried to publish anything.

Sarah had been thrilled when Grammie told her she'd had an aunt who published a book of short stories here in the United States. She smiled as she told her granddaughter about the book. "I found it in an old bookstore a few years ago. When we unpack, you may borrow it if you'd like. I never met her; she was my mother's older sister and was never mentioned within the family. She went to London to work and married an Englishman. That was in 1912, before the First World War and things were very different then.

"Her parents, my grandparents, disowned her and then she and her husband moved to the U.S. I'd never even heard of her until Andrew and I moved here; my mother made an offhand remark in a letter that she had a sister who lived 'somewhere' in the States but she didn't know her married name. I only found her book because she used her maiden name." Sarah was excited by that but with everything else going on didn't think to mention it to anyone else.

Now, after the travelers finished their meal Ellie conducted a tour for those who hadn't yet seen the house and then took them to the guesthouses and barn. Tim joined them to see the new renovations and the couple nodded in approval at the inviting, comfortable accommodations. The guesthouses were two bedrooms, two baths each with a kitchenette and living area, also featuring a sofabed.

The barn, as Tim had described it to Pete Ware, had 20 bedrooms downstairs, 10 on each side, each with a curtained window and large enough for a king platform bed with drawers underneath and shelving and a few hooks on the walls for the guests' belongings. There were 5 full bathrooms scattered between the rooms with 4 additional half baths. Upstairs in what once was a hayloft, there were 15 slightly larger rooms, also with windows. There were stairs at each end of the barn and a walkway along the front of the loft bedrooms. In between the bedrooms were 4 full and 3 half bathrooms.

Downstairs and toward the rear of the barn, there was a full kitchen with several tables and chairs while the length of the barn held a few chairs, occasional tables and a couch or two. As the place was meant for family and not paying guests, they'd left the common areas in the barn sparsely furnished, figuring people would more likely hang out in the large common spaces in the ranch house: playroom, library, family room, media room or traditional living room.

Knowing they'd be living communally in the shelter all too soon, the Hubbards, Cranes, and Vances opted to stay in the guesthouses. The Vance toddlers slept in cribs that would easily fit in their foster parents' bedroom while Kayla and Jared could flip a coin for the second bedroom and the sofabed. Cal Hubbard would sleep on the sofabed while his sisters took the second bedroom and Liz Crane was all set with the two boys.

It was a given that the two newlywed couples would stay in guesthouses. The Gibbses were surprised to learn, however, that Ellie's brothers, their wives and kids were also in guesthouses. They'd only wanted the younger kids and the elders in the house to take advantage of the tunnel entrance from the house to the shelter. It didn't matter for a few nights, as long as everyone heard the alarm to get into the shelter when it went off. One blast for a 3-minute warning and two blasts for a 15-minute warning.

The Bishops with them grinned when Tim spotted extra solar panels. He frowned, "Where did those come from?"

Jerry chuckled, "The Bishop family. John and I installed them the weekend we were down here. We'd realized how much money saving all of us was going to cost and I spoke with our shelter vendor. He was all for it, they've done it before. So, you'll still need to wire the shelters but the power will initially come from the sun. When they built our shelter, they installed wiring from inside and then the length to the solar panels. It's all sealed so it won't be contaminated.

"We've got everything connected on the outside, now you just need to do the inside wiring to the new panel. So we're off the grid as far as electricity goes, just like all the dwellings and if there's a problem, we have the generators."

Tim's grin looked like it might hurt, "Wow, that's great! Thanks, Jerry, John…all you Bishops! This is really going to help!"

"Yep, it's been running for a couple of weeks so we'll have plenty of power in the shelter. And yes, the batteries are protected!"

With that piece of good news, they entered the shelter. That was sobering although it was bigger than most of them anticipated, with higher ceilings than expected. They turned the air-circulating pump on while they were down there and that helped. The Bishops had already installed their electric range, freezer and refrigerator and although Jerry didn't open the freezer, Tim knew there were many packets of meat inside. He grinned when he saw the long orange extension cords running through the tunnel to the nearest electrical outlet in the basement, keeping all that meat frozen. He'd better install the electrical panel and wiring as soon as possible!

The Bishops purchased half a cow and a butcher sliced the meat into portions to freeze. Jerry also purchased whole chickens and half of a pig but those were to be a surprise and a butcher in town was working on another half cow for them, they'd pick that up on Monday. The Bishops, Barbara, Jerry, John, George, their families, Aunt Cissy, Uncle John and the two cousins, Trish and Ali, had already moved their beds, clothing and other belongings into their concrete cave. A reclining couch, a side table and a club chair sat off to one side and Tim smiled, "We have plenty more coming! But most will be stored up top. The reclining couch is definitely staying!"

When he asked why the furniture was there, Ali laughed, "Trish and I shared an apartment in Oklahoma City, which we gave up and it was easier to bring our furniture here rather than move it to Uncle Jerry's. We don't know where we'll end up After. Anyway, there's more in storage up top but Uncle John really loves the reclining sofa so we brought it down here."

Tim was confused by her reference to 'Uncle' John until Ellie explained that Trish and Ali were the children of another Bishop relative who'd died when the girls were in their teens and Great-Uncle John and Great-Aunt Cissy took them in.

Lara asked about laundry and with a grin, Barbara motioned them to the rear of the kitchen. There sat an electric hot water heater, hooked up to two front loading, water saving washers and two electric dryers, all hooked up and ready for use, as soon as there were electrical and water tank hookups!

Jazzy patted one of the washers, "These are going back home with us when we go; they're mine and Eileen's."

Tim was curious to see how the dryers were vented and asked Jerry. "It's part of the installation. There are six dryer vent tubes already installed. From what I saw at the vendors, they run the thickness of the wall and they're encased in straight openings through the concrete to the outside. And they're not drilled through, the shelters are made in molds and the molds include the openings for the dryer vent tubes. At the other end, there are back draft dampers to prevent outside air from coming in. In addition, the area the tubes vent to is protected so no fallout can seep in but the hot air will dissipate. So we just have to attach the transition flexible pipes, from the dryers to the tubes and seal them."

At another question about the laundry, Barbara responded, "We figured out how much water the front loading washers need and it's not bad. We have more than enough for drinking water and with us living so close together it'll be important to thoroughly wash clothes to kill bacteria and to dry them thoroughly to prevent mold and other nasties. And we have babies among us so lots of washing! Tim, are there more machines coming?"

He nodded, "Our set is on the truck and I'd have to look at the spreadsheet but I'm pretty sure there are four more sets in total and the washers are all front loading. We also have an industrial sized dishwasher from our friends' restaurant. They sold the property and were going to leave the appliances but when they heard about the shelter, insisted we take them. Didn't think we'd need a dishwasher but as you said, things need to be sterilized and when I calculated how much water we'd need to hand wash dishes three times a day for 80 people and compared that to the model of dishwasher, hand washing would take more and be far less efficient."

They returned to the perimeter where they would set up the bedrooms and Rob went back to the house for a copy of the spreadsheet, a level, another measuring tape and Tim's trusty laser. When he returned, they got to work configuring the sleep spaces. The first thing they did was measure the perimeter of the shelter, minus the extension rooms and then the thickness and length of the wall panels, which would be fastened to tracks already in the ceiling at the ceiling and affixed to the floor.

When they had the number of inches per room, they figured out where the nursery should go and marked it, near the farthest end of the shelter so crying babies wouldn't disturb anyone beside their parents. Next they planned the 4 sets of parents' bedrooms around the nursery, carefully marking the spaces, leaving room in what would be Tim and Ellie's room for a bassinet, just in case, and making sure they measured for the width and length of the individual beds.

Each rectangular room had a back wall set against the shelter, with attached walls on each side and an end wall with a door that could be set either left, right or center. With the walls running all the way to the ceiling, there was at least the illusion of privacy and provided a little more warmth than using the concrete shelter itself as a wall.

Next came the dormitories for the school age children and they added up bed space for the girls and then for the boys, two rooms. They marked those and then a funny thing happened. They wanted to give the teenagers some space away from the other rooms but didn't want too wide a separation.

Aunt Cissy chuckled, "Put John and me in a room in between the grade school boys' dormitory and one of the teen rooms; we both wear hearing aids and take them off at night, they won't bother us."

Trish and Ali, laughed, "We're night owls; we'll sleep during the day and be awake at night, put us together on the other side of the teens."

The teens were happy about that until Leon said, "Who or what will be in between the girls' room and the boys' room?"

There was silence and then Colonel Barnes said with a twinkle in his eye, "A bathroom and then put Ducky, Mac and me close by. I'm up at least twice a night."

The other two older men chuckled while the teens rolled their eyes at each other. That required some reworking as the septic lines and toilets were already in but they got it done, marked in the walls for privacy stalls, marked in four rooms for Ducky, the Colonel, Mac, and Maisie and the work continued.

After they had the elders, children and their parents situated, they decided to mark rooms to match the size of the beds and people could pick which one they wanted. They did that, mixing full, queen and king sized rooms randomly. Once the others got the hang of what Tim and Ellie were doing with measuring and marking, they took over, encouraging the couple to relax on the reclining sofa.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Saturday - Sunday, June 29th - June 30th, 2019 continued

Tim actually fell asleep on the sofa, waking when his cell phone rang. Wondering where he was, he looked up at the concrete ceiling. Ah, in the shelter still and his cell obviously worked. Although the problem would likely be after the attack.

The caller was Dad, giving him an update, letting him know they'd decided to drive through to Little Rock and stay near there for the night. That was great news, they were moving much faster than anticipated.

Dad said the federal government requested that local residents stay off the main interstate highways so the evacuees could get through. Then he chuckled, "And I'm sure the local LEO's are aware of the massive caravan moving through their counties. Four full-sized moving vans towing vehicles with another twenty something cars, fully loaded pickup trucks and an RV towing a car. And the driver of the fourth truck says we have vehicles following behind him, staying in the same lane as us, guessing it feels safer. We are impressive; Kelly and Geo said they've seen at least 3 drones overhead and there's been more than one helicopter buzzing us!"

Tim snorted, "Maybe I'll check online to see you all!"

Dad wanted to know how they were doing and was happy when he heard about the marked off bedrooms. "That's great, wasn't looking forward to that. And tell the Colonel nicely done, will you? Bet you he's done something like that with his troops." He paused, "How are you doing, Timson?"

"Tired, just like everyone else. When we landed people were trying to make a big deal out of my work, hate that!"

"Yeah, me too. Except this time, I agree with everyone, you are a hero! You're a hero to your mother and me. We're so proud of you!"

"Dad, I found something in one of Ducky's books, put two and two together, almost literally and then called it in. How is that heroic?"

"You remembered everything, you thought about it and best of all you did something about it. And son, before that you got people out of the blast zone. Not just family and friends but people who might have been forgotten. Mateo, Nancy, Lu, the folks at the shelters. The salesman at the car dealership, our neighbors all left before we did, because of you."

"I just told people."

"Timiny, we're both too tired to argue. Let's just leave it for now, all right, son?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to argue and you're right, we are too tired. Kiss Mom and my sisters and brothers hello for me. I miss you all, glad you'll be here soon. Do you have a new ETA?"

"Don't know whether we'll drive through tomorrow or stop again. Now that we think we're out of blast range, the adrenalin's wearing off some. Not exactly sure yet but figure we'll be there sometime Tuesday. That gives us time to get unloaded. By the way, have you noticed Pete's wife isn't there?"

"Yes, Barbara said she was here Friday, went into the shelter with them, took one look, turned around and nearly ran out. I guess she's at their house but they won't have time to drive much farther west."

"Yeah, he's pretty upset. She wouldn't go look at it with him before he left and he could have put her on a plane before the evacuation started. Now there's zero chance for a flight anywhere."

"So they're either toughing it out at their house, coming here after all or joining the Ortizes who have even more people than we do. I'm sure there are other shelters in town. Well, people can't help irrational fears, I sure know that."

"They're welcome to stay but don't know how she's going to cope. Maybe she could stay in the basement After?"

"Think I'll worry about that tomorrow."

"Good idea, son. All right, get some rest and your mom and I will keep you updated."

"Thanks Dad, love you both, love you all."

"Us too, Timson."

They disconnected and Tim hauled himself up, needing to get the aquariums and birdcages set up. He found the tanks and their stands lodged against a wall that hadn't been there hours ago, the outer wall of the new library. All three of them, Tim was setting up fishy Kate and Ziva's new habitat too, were plugged into a power strip, which was plugged into another orange extension cord. That cord was taped to the floor, snaked over to the tunnel. Cringing, Tim resolved to get the electrical work done soon! He found the boxes with everything for the fish and turtles and then snagged Jared and Jeff, the older of the two Crane fosters, to help him carry one of the large water jugs over to the tanks. Once the water was in the first tank, the power was switched on. As soon as the pump kicked in the interior became muddy and cloudy.

Jared frowned, "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing, it takes several hours for everything to settle. It'll be clear by the time the fish and turtles arrive tomorrow."

They finished filling and powering on the other tanks and then left in search of the birdcages. While Chirp's cage wouldn't take much time, the habitat cage for Coco the parrot would take a few minutes.

Before they got to the cages, Jerry found them. "Hey Tim, we need you to inspect our work. Come on, both of you."

Tim had noticed the shelter looked different and people were working on things but he was still tired and groggy from his nap, focusing on one thing at a time. Otherwise he wouldn't get anything done or would mess up and they didn't have time to procrastinate or 'do-overs'. "Huh?"

"We have all the rooms done; we put the walls and doors up."

"Wow, how long was I asleep?"

"Three hours, son. And we split up to do the work. We did three together so we knew what to do and then split up. You'll be so proud of us!"

Tim chuckled as he followed, finally noticing that his wife wasn't anywhere around. "Where's Ellie?"

"Upstairs with Lia. Come on!"

Tim grinned at the others, who were laughing at Jerry. "He gets pretty worked up, doesn't he?"

John and George grinned, "Oh yeah!"

He was impressed by the work. The walls were in straight, the fasteners flush to the ceiling and floor. The doors all opened in. He checked and saw there was still an inch between the edge of the open doors and the mark where the end of the beds would be. He was glad for all the extra work he, Bob, Barry, and Bill had done to measure the headboards and footboards as well as the mattresses. Then he realized that because of the extra lengths for the headboards and footboards, they'd accidentally customized the rooms. He said as much, shrugging, "We'll put names on the doors and people will sleep in the rooms." He looked around, "You did an awesome job here, folks. Thanks!"

"Want to make the name signs now?"

That was from Callum and Tim smiled at him, "Sure Cal, find someone to help you make the signs, paper is fine, then I'll give you the names and when you're done you can help me put them up. Or I'll help you."

"Great!" That was Jared, "I'll help you, Cal."

Jeff and Matt Crane, the boys had asked to be called by their foster parents' surnames, volunteered too, "It'll help us learn everyone's name."

Jazzy brought construction paper and markers from her teacher's stash; Tim gave the boys the names and they got busy. Nobody noticed that nearly the whole group was still in the shelter.

The boys worked on the signs while another group found the tunnel to the pet shelter and worked on getting it set up. The dividing wall was already in place about midway through the pet tunnel and all the way through the shelter itself, with two entrance doors, and the back tunnel. Tim needed to wire the place before the animals arrived; with his allergies, there was no way he could do it after their arrival without becoming ill.

That meant he needed to get the electrical panel set up now and make the pet shelter his first priority. Back in the main shelter, he grabbed what he needed and got to work on the electrical panel, making the necessary connections with the solar powered lines the shelter vendor installed. The generators would be used as backup. He also added an industrial surge protector, which theoretically would keep all their electrical devices safe from an EMP or HEMP.

Once the panel was functional, he grabbed Rob, Ty, George, Nick and Matt Bishop, everything they'd need and they starting pulling wire for the pet tunnels and shelter. It took them nearly three hours but when everything had been tested, Tim was infinitely glad they were done. Along with other overhead lighting, they'd included a few grow lights, modified to give artificial UVB sunlight to their furry friends. One of the last things Tim did was set up rotating security cameras in both sides of the shelter, both sides of the back tunnel and both sides of the entrance tunnel. Pet owners would alternate watching those for any problems. George made a note to add that to the daily maintenance list. They figured any problems would likely occur the first few days.

Deciding they'd do the main shelter in the morning, Tim and his band of helpers had just returned there when there was a banging sound from the basement tunnel. When they looked, Brynie and Victoria were there, grinning and holding big spoons and saucepans. "Our moms said to come get you, dinner is almost ready."

Dinner? Tim looked at the time, 1800 already and they'd had an hour's time change, it was 1900 at hom…in Virginia. They had a tasty and filling dinner while John updated them about the shelters and Tim updated them with the caravan news. Then the kids and most of the adults played or sat outside until dark. The parents played 'Red Light, Green Light' tag with the kids until the light was too dim to see. They decided everyone should spend more time outside over the next three days, soak up those UVB rays while they could.

The Gibbs kids bathed and ready for bed, they sat in their parents' bedroom for story time. Grandma and Grandpa slipped in just in time to hear Brynie read a story and then Ty had a turn. Both kids were good readers, already reading beyond their grade level. Although Brynie didn't really have a grade level yet, she'd finished kindergarten and was ready for first grade. The parents agreed that classes would be an excellent way to keep the kids busy and their minds occupied while they were all living in the shelter. Lara, Mindy Fuller, Ginny Slater and Claire would run the day-care for the kids too young for formal classes and had all kinds of ideas for fun learning activities.

As far as the older kids, at 21 Kayla Vance was the eldest. She'd graduated from Northern Virginia Community College in May and planned to start classes at the University of Virginia in August. Now she would start her third year of college with second year Emily Fornell and first years Jared and Jeff Crane.

Kayla's criminal justice courses would be taught by Ned Dorneget, Bob Chalmers and Evan Fuller, all of whom had degrees in the subject. In the time they'd had to prepare, the trio had contacted former professors, downloaded texts, and reference materials Kayla would need. They also had class syllabi kindly provided by all three professors. Before she left, Abby sent them a great deal of study material for the forensics courses Kayla wanted. Tim had also gathered materials from his favorite computer forensics professor and would facilitate that aspect of Kayla's coursework.

For years, Emily Fornell thought she'd be a child psychologist, figuring she had plenty of life experiences to draw upon. But as she matured, she realized her interests lay in another direction - environmental studies. With the help of her high school advisor, she now had a good grounding in life sciences, biology, ecology, and the physical sciences. As she'd already taken most of her general education classes, Bec would be her primary instructor; she'd also had some time to gather course materials.

The bulk of the other college level courses would be taught by Bec, Geordie and Jazzy. Along with the computer forensics course, Tim would also teach any college level math and science courses that Bec or Jazzy weren't comfortable teaching and creative writing with Sarah.

While Geo would teach history to the college kids, he and the elementary, middle and high school instructors had already approached Ducky about talking with the classes about modern history, specifically events that he'd witnessed, i.e., World War II, or experienced during his long life. With the man's phenomenal memory, he'd give the students a taste of what really happened. The lead up, the politics, lesser-known events that sometimes get lost in recorded history. Then too, history usually belongs to the victor, details sometimes become skewed or ignored. Having lived through several wars and many world events, Ducky would likely provide other points of view and anecdotal accounts.

Jeff Crane hadn't yet graduated high school but only had one course to complete. He'd take that from Jazzy or Shannon and join in the college level courses with Jared. While Jeff was interested in history and political science, Jared wanted to be an architect; to that end, he'd worked hard on math and physics.

Between all the instructors, they'd figured out what Mateo should be taking for his last undergrad semester and would help him as best they could with pre-law. Before they left, he'd contacted his advisor at GW, finding her on the road to Utah; she'd sent him course suggestions and lists of reading material she'd had on file for previous students. With some financial help, Mateo ordered most of the reading material and had it shipped directly to the ranch. Other material was downloaded to his laptop. His advisor also forwarded an old syllabus she'd unearthed, hoping that would help and told him that she'd assist any way she could. Ellie's cousin Ali was an estate attorney and only a year past passing the bar. She'd brought books from college and law school, a list of required reading materials and would probably end up doing more with the young man than the others would. He'd have to take exams to test his knowledge when he returned to traditional classes, as would all of the college students, but that was faster than sitting through class again.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Sunday morning, the smell of eggs and pancakes cooking drifted into the tent and Jethro woke with a smile. When they'd urged Nancy, Elaine and Jacob to drive with them, no one had been thinking of them cooking for the caravan. But the three were determined and it sure helped to start with a hot breakfast rather than the cold rations Gibbs would otherwise have expected. Everyone pitched in to serve themselves and within 90 minutes of waking, they were on their way again.

They had a little over 900 miles to go, 880 to Albuquerque and 31 to the ranch, another long drive of nearly thirteen hours. The truckers said they'd push as far as they felt it was safe but Pete warned Jethro they'd be better off stopping another night. When Jethro asked if they could get their rest by stopping for several hours in between, the man slapped him on the back. "That's a good idea; say midway between Little Rock and Amarillo. We'll need another KOA so we can get some exercise and at least 6 hours of sleep."

Shannon got busy looking for their next stop and found one roughly midway. Calling ahead, the KOA manager chuckled, "Ma'am, we heard about your caravan, complete with your own cooks! The manager at the camp you stayed at last night said it was cleaner when you left than when you got there. Yes, we have whatever space you need. And yes, we have a pool."

She made the reservation and was surprised at the price but didn't complain. Because of the mass evacuations, Kampgrounds of America Inc. was offering two nights free stay (per camp) along with free meals or a tank of gas to all evacuees. When Shannon got off the phone she turned to her husband, "Our stay is free and we'll get a free meal or free gas too."

She told him why and watched as his smile grew. Then she got busy calling Pete and the others. The caravan drivers had a call tree so that no one person had to call everyone, although the Gibbses, as the unofficial leaders, remained the contacts for the professional movers.

Her last call, for the moment, was to Tim for an update.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Sunday morning dawned bright and hot. Tim woke early and leaving a note for Ellie, went for a run. Afterward he showered and then slipped back into bed. The fresh air and the run felt great but he wanted more sleep! When Ty and Brynie finally woke their parents, Ellie was surprised to see it was nearly 9:00 AM!

The two older kids had already eaten and Grandma had Lia so Ellie and Tim kissed the kids good morning and shooed them out of their room to get ready for the day. They found two breakfasts warming in the oven and relaxed over those, also enjoying their coffee and tea. Today they'd work on the shelter and take a few hours to play with their children. Their lives had been so hectic for so long they knew they needed some downtime. Add in the work that would need to be done quickly when first the pets and then the caravan arrived and now seemed their only chance to relax.

Finding the children in the playroom, they had a quick family meeting, deciding to take a ride into town. They'd borrow Grandma's car for their trek; the children wanted to see their old house and neighborhood and asked if they could swim at the Ortizes. Their parents hated to disappoint them but the Ortiz pool was closed for the duration.

They had a good time driving into town and driving by their old house. It looked pretty much the same although Tim saw a hill of dirt in the backyard and wondered if the current residents were building a shelter. After driving through the neighborhood, they headed to the Hulls' favorite treat store and stopped for ice cream. It was a little early but then the Gibbses didn't know how long it would be before they could have ice cream cones again.

After their treat, they stopped to buy fresh vegetables and fruit before returning to the ranch. As great as their morning had been, Tim and Ellie had plenty of work to do. Someone found the kids' wading pools; the Palmers and Bishops brought inflatable ones and set them up in the shade of a large tree. Parents were taking turns watching the kids and Ellie said she'd take a turn doing that. That left Tim free to start organizing everything they'd brought for future use. All of their artwork went in their bedroom, he put a few pieces on the wall, taking photos of them, set aside some for the shelter and tucked the rest in their closet. Their clothes were already sorted but Ellie was worried nuclear winter would set in before they were back in the house. Although the shelter had a heating and cooling system, Tim pulled out warmer clothing for each of them.

He was in the kitchen helping Barbara, Cissy and Gram who'd started canning the fruit and blanching the vegetables to freeze them when his grandfather came in. "Hey son, haven't seen much of you today."

Tim told him what they'd been up to that morning. "Ah, good idea. Have a favor to ask you. I had a new dresser delivered here but it needs to be assembled. Do you have some time to help me with it?"

"Sure Grandpa. Want to build it inside the shelter?"

"Oh, that'd be great. Then I can put my clothes away!"

Tim grabbed the house toolbox and handed it to Mac. "If you'll carry that, I'll see about the dresser box."

When he looked at the box, he noticed the weight and the fact that Grandpa's new dresser had several solid wood pieces. Tim quickly decided to get some help to carry it into the shelter. He found Leon coming up through the tunnel and drafted him. Once they had it in the shelter, they set it down outside Mac's room and Leon looked at Tim, "I hope you're not going to ask me to help assemble it! I'm good at many things but furniture assembly is not one of them."

Tim grinned, "Nah, I'm good now, Leon, thanks! Dad's taught me enough that I can do this." He leaned in, speaking softly, "And watch Brynie! She followed us down here and I bet she'll want to help."

Leon chuckled, "A true Gibbs!"

Sure enough, Brynie was there in a minute or so, carrying her own toolbox, an upgraded version of her original one. "Need help, Daddy?"

"I sure do, Bryniegirl! This is a new dresser for Grandpa and he wants us to put it together for him."

"Ok, can I see the 'structions?" Tim handed them to her and she looked at the pictures of the various fasteners. Behind them, Leon quietly snapped a few photos on his phone, sending them to Jethro.

"I'll separate the fasteners while you sort the pieces."

"That's a good plan." Quietly the two did their work with Grandpa Mac on hand to assist. Then Tim waited patiently as Brynie looked at the pieces and the 'structions, deciding how to go about assembling all of it. As she and her dad worked, her uncles and friends came by to watch although Tim discreetly shooed them back. He knew more photos were taken and was glad Brynie was concentrating on their work and didn't notice. It took them about 40 minutes to complete the dresser and that was because the drawers were a little tricky. They had to fit perfectly and have a smooth, easy but stable glide, no wobbling or squeaks were allowed.

Grandpa was very happy and thanked both of them while the rest of their audience applauded. Brynie's eyes widened, she'd been so intent she'd never noticed the others. Then she grinned, "Daddy and I are good at building things but not as good as Poppy is."

Grandpa Jerry said, "You will be, Brynie. He's been doing it for a lot longer; you keep at it, sweetie!"

She beamed at that.

Later, the group helped the Bishops move the rest of their beds and dressers from their modified horse trailer into the shelter. After some maneuvering and calculations, the adults decided to put the dressers outside their rooms, otherwise there would be little walking space in the bedrooms. The children's beds and dressers were installed in the correct dorm rooms. Then the group helped Eileen and Jazzy move their school supply boxes into the classroom and brought in the boxes Bec, Geo and Shannon sent ahead.

Tony shipped his DVD collection on the plane and those boxes were placed in the newly christened media room. Other boxes marked for storage were put in a large storage shed. When they finished distributing the items from the plane, the group stopped to look around the shelter.

Leon was the first to speak. "We need to decide how we want this place organized otherwise it'll be chaos when the others arrive."

Jared grinned, "Well, Dad, we are on the shelter team!"

They all laughed at that. Then they got busy defining spaces. Mapping out the common areas, they decided on three separate sitting areas, one large, two smaller. Next came dining areas and they marked out where tables and chairs would go. Wishing they had an island to separate the kitchen from the eating area, they hoped there would be extra tables to set something up.

All this helped Tim plan the rest of his electrical work. Now he knew where the overhead lights should go, where outlets were needed for floor or table lamps in the common areas, where the TVs and DVD/VHS players would go in the media room. How the desks would be set in the classroom and the grow boxes in the garden room. How many outlets the medical bay would need. He drew schematics as the shelter team worked through the place.

By the time they were done, Tim was ready to wire and pulled his group from yesterday back together. Gathering the ladders - the ranch had two, Jerry brought one and Jethro had two more on the trucks - they wired for overhead lighting in the nursery, kids' rooms, playroom, kitchen, toilet rooms, the garden room, media, fitness, laundry, medical bay and the common area with each area having its own on/off switch. Once the wire was pulled for each area, Tim inspected and tested every inch of it, from the electrical panel outward to make sure it was properly done. They also placed smoke detectors and fire extinguishers around the shelter.

They wired the garden room with several hook-ups for the multiple grow lights, including the modified ones for the humans. Once the overhead wiring was complete, the light fixtures were installed and tested. Then they wired one outlet in each bedroom, with 4 in the nursery and each of the dormitories and then installed multiple outlets in the media, garden, fitness rooms as well as the kitchen, dedicated ones for the aquariums, a few more in the common areas, laundry, library, classroom and the medical bay. That took the longest as Tim again inspected each outlet.

Tim thought about putting an outlet in each of the toilet rooms for portable heaters but if the attack happened on the Fourth, they'd be out of the shelter by the time the weather turned cold. Unless the whole 'nuclear winter' deal happened right away. He shrugged; he could put outlets in later if necessary, he had more with him. They did set up a charging station in the common area. One of the last things Tim did was to move power cords from the orange extension cords to the now functional wall outlets. Rob unplugged the basement ends of the extension cords, Matt and Ty helped roll them up and carry them into the shelter.

While the electrician and his helpers worked, several others started setting up the classroom and generally familiarizing themselves with ordinary tasks they'd soon be doing every day in their new home. A chore list was started and as they set up the shelter, new tasks were added. Later they'd set up a schedule so that everyone school age and above would have daily tasks to help maintain their new home.

The fish, turtles and birds were delivered shortly after the wiring crew finished and the fish and turtles were carefully placed in the now clear waters of their habitats while the birds were put in their cages. Coco asked for Mel and when told she would be there on Tuesday, repeated that. Chirp took a few minutes to check out her new digs but when Ty and Brynie spoke with her, she chirped back at them.

They'd no sooner settled the birds, turtles and fish than two trucks pulled in with their cat and dog population. The cats were taken in first, with Tim, Ty and Brynie resolutely staying in the house; they watched from the window in Rob's third floor bedroom. Tim was grateful the shelter vendor built a door off the main tunnel's decontamination room to the pet shelter tunnel so the animals did not have to be carried through the main shelter.

Those cat owners who were in the caravan had designated other pet owners to help get their pets settled. Litter boxes were already in place along with water and food bowls. While there were plenty of beds, cat tree and condos, the cat kennels would also stay.

Once the cats and all their belongings were in and the doors shut, the dogs were transferred in. Small dogs still in their kennels were carried in by their owner or designated substitute while the larger ones were leashed and walked in after greeting those owners who were present, their kennels, beds, blankets and toys carried in. Tim and his family were on hand to welcome Neo who was as happy to see them as they were to see her. Once the dogs and their belongings were in the shelter, the trucks took off, the drivers anxious to get to their own shelter. After they'd had some time to explore the shelter, all the dogs were walked, giving them fresh air and some time with their humans. The Bishops brought their dogs, Toby, Digger, Cody and Blue, up from the pet shelter, introducing them to Neo and some of the others, watching during the obligatory sniffing.

The Gibbses took turns guiding Neo on her leash. As always she was very patient with the kids. There were two other 'hypo-allergenic' dogs whose owners were in the caravan and the family walked them as well, pleased to be able to help. Each owner had provided something with their scent, along with what they'd had on the transport trucks and the Gibbses had the dogs smell their owners' scent so they'd feel more secure.

When it was time to take the dogs in, Ellie took the leashes while Tim, Ty and Brynie quickly donned face masks so they could go in too. All three pups went right to their beds, kennels and toys. Neo's water dish had a large bottle attached so she'd always have water and she'd already had a bite to eat. They showed all three dogs the tunnel where rolls of artificial turf had been put down for the dogs. Before they left DC, Tim heard of a product called Fresh Wave™, an all-natural product that would help reduce the smells. He'd purchased cases of the product and left some in the cat shelter when he did the wiring over there. More product was placed on the dogs' side and even more in the poop tunnel, attached to the walls with adhesive strips. When they showed the dogs the poop tunnel, they could see it had already been used and the Fresh Wave™ was doing a good job.

Back in the main shelter, Tim posted directions for protecting their electronic devices. They were in danger from an EMP, Electro-Magnetic Pulses, or worse HEMP, High-Altitude Electro-Magnetic Pulse that could seriously damage electronics and the U.S. and Canada's ability to communicate with anyone. The protective materials were among his purchases.

They'd hang onto their phones for now but by Wednesday morning, he wanted everyone to have their electronic devices secured in a nested Faraday cage, an enclosure to block electromagnetic fields. Each device would have to be carefully wrapped in at least five layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil and placed in one of the steel galvanized trashcans he'd purchased. The instructions he'd found were tested by a scientist and should work. That would give them a leg-up on recovery along with the industrial surge protector.

Not knowing how widespread the HEMP would be, the previous week he'd sent the instructions to his former staff and everyone for whom he had contact information, adding in the information about the industrial surge protector. He'd breathed a little easier when he dug up contact information for a Canadian law enforcement officer he'd worked with back in 2010 during the Reynosa Cartel fiasco. The man responded to his e-mail with the HEMP warning and directions for protection. He'd written a thank you e-mail saying that he'd shared the information with everyone he knew and the word was getting out there.

Tim was also happy to find that Uncle John Bishop brought his ham radio setup from Oklahoma. It too could be subjected to HEMP and would be protected but afterward the amateur radio could make communicating with the rest of the world a lot easier as it didn't rely on the internet or cell phones. His fellow ham radio operators around the world knew where he was and would attempt to communicate with him.

After a busy day, the afternoon was gone, Jerry had the grill fired up and their dinner was cooking. They ate outside, enjoying the fresh air. After cleaning up, the kids and some of the adults once again played tag, chasing each other until bedtime. Once their brood was asleep, Ellie and Tim sat out on the front porch; enjoying the softness of the night air and watching the stars emerge.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Alix33 for suggesting that Leon take photos of Brynie building the dresser.
> 
> Thanks to Suse B for bringing the product Fresh Wave™ to my attention!
> 
> Thanks to jdgatorbait for the suggestion to have Ducky help with the history courses.
> 
> Information about EMPs and HEMP came from Wikipedia (and other sites) and a site called 'thesurvivalmom com'. After reading the information about what these things are and the damage they can bring to us, I was relieved to find this practical and most importantly, tested common sense method of protecting devices. But who knows. There's also at least one video on YouTube for a homemade Faraday cage. I didn't watch it because I spotted the survival mom site first.
> 
> The suggestion to install an industrial surge protector on the main circuits came from a commenter on "The Survival Podcast" forum. I decided to throw it in as extra protection. In real life, we should always have our electronic devices/chargers on surge protectors. Years ago, my VCR was fried during an EMP (lightning strike) four stories up in an apartment. It was plugged into a regular wall outlet.
> 
> Information about Ham Radio came from the website for ARRL, the national Association of Amateur Radio.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be posted on Friday, May 12 (Ch 21). Look for Chapter 22 on Saturday, May 13th and Chapter 23 on Sunday May 14th.

Chapter 20

Monday, July 1st, 2019

Monday morning was bright and sunny; after breakfast, many of the group went for a walk, parents taking the younger children and the dogs for a meandering walk through the trees to the dry creek bed. With additional volunteer dog walkers, all of the dogs had a walk.

Then they got back to work in the shelter. Breaking for lunch, they ate outside where Tim had a call from his mother. "Hey sweetie, how are you doing?"

"Good, Mom, getting used to the shelter, trying out different things. The wiring is done; we wired the pet shelter yesterday before the animals arrived and ours today. All the cats, dogs, fish, turtles and birds arrived safely. Coco the parrot asked for Mel and when we told her Mel would be here Tuesday, she repeated it. This morning Ty told Coco that today is Monday and she told him Mel would be here Tuesday. That's something, huh? Anyway, the classroom is set up and we finished setting up the bedrooms. We're spending as much time outside as we can; the last two nights we played tag until dark. How are you all doing?"

"Great! We're a few miles from the KOA where we're going to stop today. We're all tired and Pete said we need more rest so we've driven several hours and now we're stopping for at least 7 hours and then we'll continue. The KOA is between Little Rock and Amarillo, closer to Amarillo. We'll go for a swim, sleep for 6 hours, eat and then drive on through. We'll be there early tomorrow morning, sometime after midnight tonight. Your dad says it's a 4-hour drive from Amarillo to Albuquerque, plus another 20 minutes to the ranch. We'll call when we get to town, all right?"

"Yeah, Mom, that's great! Enjoy the rest, have some fun, stay safe - we'll be here when you get here!"

They talked a little more and he was smiling broadly when he disconnected. He laughed at the cheers when he told the others. Jerry said, "That's great! Much less time than we figured."

Tim nodded, "We were all pretty freaked out at the evacuations we saw Friday and Saturday morning. The movers started loading before dawn, they wanted to get the heck out of there. They said there were thousands of cars heading south. When they drove west out of Tennessee, they decided they were out of the blast zone and relaxed a little bit. The KOAs are offering free two night stays and a free meal each day or free gas to evacuees but I guess the first one they stayed at didn't know that yet.

"When Mom called the second one to make a reservation, the manager was all excited, said he'd heard about their caravan. And he gave them a refund for what they'd paid the night before, said the other manager is a friend and they'll work it out. Plus with the free meal, it gave Elaine, Jacob and Nancy a break. None of us thought about them cooking but they did yesterday!" Tim stopped and shook his head, "The Rourkes won't get far enough away in that RV in time, they'll have to stay with us until After. The Wares too."

Barbara shook her head, "Tim, that woman ran out of here."

"She won't have much choice, Barb. She missed her chance for a flight out and by the time they get here…two days isn't enough time to drive as far as the West Coast. They could get as far as eastern Arizona, maybe farther west to be out of the shelter zone. They might find space in a shelter in town. But then, why not stay here?"

"The Wares can worry about that, Tim. Now, do Jacob and Elaine have beds? We have time to buy one."

Tim shook his head, "They have an RV so we can put that mattress in but they'll need a platform to put it on."

Jerry nodded, "We can ask Steve for wood."

Tim chuckled, "We can ask Steve to build it for us. Better not though, I'm sure he's got enough to do!"

"Know what size it is?"

"No but we can find out." Tim punched in his father's cell number and when his dad answered he asked, "Know what size the Rourkes' bed is? We're going to ask Steve for wood to make a platform for them. There's no way they'll get to Oregon in time!"

"Good thinking, son. They can use one of the dressers from the house."

"Yeah."

"I'll call you back with it."

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Jethro disconnected and pressed the number for Elaine's cell phone. "Hello - Shannon or Gibbs?"

"It's Gibbs, Elaine. Tim just called, wants to know what size mattress you have in the RV."

"It's a queen but why?"

"Because there isn't time for you two to get to Oregon. You can go as soon as it's safe After but not this week."

"Oh but Gibbs, we need to sign our papers!"

"When we stop, call your realtor and tell them you're stuck in New Mexico, can't get a flight out and will shelter here. I'm sure they'll hold your house for you; these are extraordinary circumstances. Maybe they can fax the papers to you."

"I hope so; oh I'm being so selfish! Of course we'll stay with you and thank Timothy for his thoughtfulness."

They disconnected and she told Jacob. "We'll have to stay at the Gibbs' ranch until it's safe. There's not enough time to get to Oregon before they think the missile strikes will happen."

He looked at her, nodding. "We'll be safe, sweetheart, and then we'll drive to our new home. It'll work out all right for us. Who wanted to know about our bed?"

"Tim. He's having a platform built for our mattress so we won't need to put it on the concrete floor."

"Now that is thoughtful! Will we need other furniture?"

"I don't think so. We can live out of our suitcases and you saw all the sofas, chairs, and tables loaded onto the trucks. We'll be fine."

"Glad Jethro talked us into buying those warm jackets and boots."

"Yes, me too. And maybe they'll let us cook!"

He laughed, "We'll learn to cook vegetarian."

"Mm, maybe not. I remember Gibbs saying someone bought half a cow and froze it."

"Sounds good; we can ask more questions when we get to the KOA."

"I'm a little relieved we won't be driving by ourselves, trying to outrun a nuclear attack."

"Me too, Lainie!"

When they stopped, Pete told them his wife was packing for the shelter and contacted Tim to ask for help with their beds. He'd said they'd be over with a truck that afternoon.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Tim made a face after he disconnected. "Need a couple of strong bodies to go into town with me. Have a bed and suitcases to pick up. Mrs. Ware will follow us back."

When his mother-in-law gave him an incredulous look, he shrugged. "We can't turn her down although I don't know how she's going to manage. I just hope this doesn't turn into a problem."

Rob looked at him, "I did some research yesterday. E-mailed one of my professors and asked him if he had any suggestions. He's in Idaho by the way, says he's never been there before and it's pretty. Anyway, he made a couple of suggestions. Ducky and Jimmy have been looking into it too. Ducky's looking into the medical histories of the Blitz in London in WWII to see if there's anything in there about claustrophobics in the air raid shelters."

"Thanks Rob! That's good to know!"

"We brought anti-anxiety meds with us but we'd rather not start her on anything. She should bring her medical records too."

"Ok, I'll ask her to have her doctor's office fax them here to you."

"Glad everything's still working!"

Tim agreed. They'd moved a printer into the shelter library, it could also be used for faxes and if the internet was not available, it would still print as long as it was connected to a laptop. His father sent a text asking if the Rourkes could have their escrow papers faxed there and Tim replied, glad he brought several reams of printer paper with him. He set it up, telling Jerry who promised to watch for anything and to keep the printer loaded with paper.

John drove his truck into town with Tim and Jeff Crane and they loaded up at the Wares' home. She had several boxes along with suitcases and Tim frowned. "Ma'am, these won't be harmed by staying here. We really don't have a lot of space for things you'll want when it's safe to be home again. Please understand, we didn't even have room to bring everything we own, we had to leave a lot behind. We can't go back, our homes will be destroyed."

Her lips thinned and then relaxed. "I'm sorry I've been so selfish and pig-headed about all this. If I had listened to my husband weeks ago, this wouldn't have happened. I was so sure it was just rumors."

Wondering whether she'd heard anything about the President's address and the mass evacuations, Tim kept his voice light. "What do you really need for the next few weeks?"

She shook her head. "Our clothes, bed linens, towels, pillows and our bed."

John cleared his throat, "Uh ma'am. There won't be any showers or baths. We're paying to have water trucked in and it is just enough for our drinking water, toilets, laundry and dishes. Tim's purchased cases of a product called NoAgua, a lotion that cleanses the skin and removes bacteria, so no water is necessary."

Nodding, she rolled her lips in; Tim thought she was trying not to cry. He spoke softly, "It'll be all right, we'll help each other get through this. And if helping means leaving some people to themselves, that's what we'll do."

She whispered "Thank you."

Jeff found a large cooler in the garage and put all the food from her refrigerator and freezer in it, placing bags of ice cubes in with the food. She sorted out what she really wanted to take and they loaded it into her Buick, the car Tim sold her. Picking the fresh vegetables from her garden, they added those to the pile to be moved. Mrs. Ware finished packing the food while the three men moved the bed frame, queen mattress and box springs into the truck, tying it all down. Then they left.

In the meantime, Rob texted that the Wares' medical records had come through and he, Ducky, and Jimmy were reviewing them. Another text said that something for the Rourkes was being faxed and they were loading paper as fast as they could. Rob's last text said he'd let their parents know.

Before they drove back to the shelter, Tim was dropped at his bank while the others had a couple of errands. One was to the butcher shop to pick up the meat that had been cut for them. The second was to pick up a surprise delivery. The Bishops had purchased fresh beef that had been processed and packaged in soft BPA-free packages, although the process was still referred to as canning. They'd use the meat in casseroles and soups.

Tim put all their documents and family heirlooms into a safety deposit box and checked their funds. Then, concerned he wouldn't have enough paper left to write, he asked the bank manager if he could buy a box of paper. It was a strange request to make of a bank manager but they didn't have time for another stop. He was ready with his box of paper when John pulled up in the truck.

Back at the shelter, he was teased about his strange purchase. While they were in town, the shelter crew put together two additional rooms - both queens - and Jerry contacted Steve Ortiz about the wood for the platform bed.

When she saw the rooms, Mrs. Ware pointed to the one on the outside of the group, "May we have that one, please?"

They agreed and the kids quickly made a sign for her door. She smiled at them, "Thank you so much!"

They'd decorated several of the other signs and wanted to know if she'd like hers decorated too. She smiled again, "Yes, I'd like that. How about a big sun and lots of flowers?"

Grinning the kids got to work. They'd already done one for the Rourkes, a rendering of the diner with smiling faces looking out the windows.

Steve arrived hours later with the platform bed for Elaine and Jacob. "It's pretty basic, made it from scrap lumber. I didn't stain it, thought you could do that now and it'll be dry in a couple of hours. Do they need anything else?"

Tim was surprised to see a completed platform bed, "Steve, thank you! We were planning to make it, just needed the wood. Wow, that is way beyond, my friend! And no, they won't need anything else. We've already moved one of the dressers from the house down here for them."

"Where are you guys putting your dressers? We have some folks that want their rooms big enough but that's really messing with the spacing and measurements."

Tim shrugged, "Except for the nursery and the kids' rooms which are bigger, we decided to put them outside our doors; we put the doors in the corners of the end wall so there's room. It's not exactly private but it's the best we can do. Everyone's going to have to wear pajamas or a robe, at least to get their clothes for the day!"

"So you made the rooms standard sizes?"

"Pretty much, except for the nursery and dormitory rooms as I said. My team built a spreadsheet with the size of every bed for every person or couple and for those who are bringing headboards and footboards; we measured those too. Personally I think they take up too much space in this environment and they may end up sitting in the basement for a few weeks but the space is ready for them."

"How long did it take you to set everything up?"

"We figured out placement of the nursery first and marked the floors, then did the same for parents of nursery kids. Then we figured out the boys' and girls' rooms and marked floors and walls for those. We figured out where we wanted the teen rooms and who would live around them and marked those out. After that, we marked standard rooms according to the size bed and if there were headboards, etc. Once it was all marked, the team shooed me out and I slept on that nice comfortable recliner while they did the walls and doors. It took about five hours I guess."

"Five hours! I've already spent that much time getting two rooms set up."

"Measure twice, cut once."

"Yeah ok, we're going with standard rooms and no headboards or footboards!"

"There you go! Want the standard measurements for the beds?"

"Please."

"How about I come help you get started?"

"You have time?"

"Steve, you took time away to build a platform bed frame for someone you've never met, yes I have time! We have everything that we brought squared away. The caravan will be here sometime after midnight and we'll be busy unloading everything tomorrow but we have everything tagged by name and whether it goes into storage or into the shelter."

"Wow, I forgot how organized you are. Ok, yeah, let's go."

Tim told Ellie and Jerry he was going next door and took one of the pickups. He'd thought their shelter was huge but the Ortizes' was easily half again as large. It would sleep 150, they had 126 and space was precious. Focusing on measuring, Tim and Steve got busy. They'd measured out 30 rooms when Tim looked at some of the others standing around watching. "You guys understand what we're doing here? For queen beds the rooms need to be this big." He pointed to a measurement. "For double, this big and for a king this big. For a California King, the measurement changes so be careful."

Steve looked at them. "Before we do any more, let's talk with Tamara." She was in another area of the shelter and came quickly. Tim pointed to the measurements and the shelter. "Steve needs to know how many of what size bed and he no longer has time to customize anything for headboards or footboards, you can store those in the house. He needs the numbers of queens, full, kings, California Kings and singles as soon as possible or you'll all be sleeping without any walls."

"Oh. We didn't realize."

Tim withheld comment and she took off to get started. Steve felt he understood what needed to be done so Tim left him, running into Roger outside. "Hey Tim, how's it going in there?"

"Not good, Roger. Is Steve the only one responsible for setting up your shelter? We had teams working on different things from day one and it only took us five hours to get the rooms set up for 84 of us. But nobody's doing anything to help him and then I guess a bunch of people wanted their rooms customized. We have 36 hours, maybe a little more before the shit hits the fan and he needs help. Where are all those big kids? And who's working with the generators, the kitchen, the air circulation pumps and everything else?"

"I thought installation did all that."

"They put them in, doesn't mean they don't need to be tested and you all figure out how to run them! The air pumps especially. And is your water tank full? Your shelter wired?"

"That I know, yes, two of Steve's crew wired the place and we helped build their shelters. And we have water; the company filled ours after they filled yours this afternoon. They said they have hazmat suits and the water will be safe, they can top off the tanks after."

"Good! You have enough food stocked, vitamins?"

"Uh, don't know. I think Tamara was handling that. Guess we should be more organized."

Tim nodded and gave him the figure he had of the amount of food each adult needed and each child.

"Have any babies?"

"No."

"Ok, scratch that off the list."

"What kind of vitamins?"

"Multi plus D plus a whole lot more, let me look on my phone."

He pulled up his list and sent it to Roger. "You know what you could do is place a bulk order online from the Bulk Grocery in town, they'll deliver everything out to you."

"Vitamins too?"

"Yep. But they're probably getting ready to get to shelter themselves."

"All right. I'll see what help Steve needs and then get those things ordered. Thanks Tim."

Tim smiled, "You're welcome. Be safe and healthy!"

He drove back across the dirt road connecting the two properties and went into the shelter. Barbara was in there and while he helped her set up a few more things for the Rourkes, he told her about the Ortizes. "I'm really shocked, as a family they've always been so together."

She nodded. "They're reacting, scared. Sounds like they got the horses and livestock to safety, bought the shelter, had it installed and then stopped. You kept us from going that route. Your automatic response was to organize escape for everyone you know and provide for our safety and we followed you willingly. Much more productive than hiding under the bed which is what most people would do. That's what Mrs. Ware has been doing."

"Oh. Yeah, I can't do that. Any bed to hide under was taken away from me when I was a kid and I haven't had anything to hide under since then. I had to learn to look ahead, try to figure out the angles, prepare and organize. It worked for us before and I guess I reverted right back to old habits."

"And we're grateful you did, Timothy! It's kept us focused, working toward a common goal and in control instead of running around like Henny Penny crying 'the sky is falling!'"

He chuckled and she smiled, "Did you give them a good talking-to?"

Blushing, he nodded. "I did and I think, I hope, I scared them into getting things done and helping each other. Poor Steve was trying to get all the rooms done by himself and his aunts and uncles wanted all kinds of things from him. And they have several teenagers; huh, I guess they're young adults by now, that was three years ago. Anyway, there are a lot of people that should be helping him and pulling together."

"Oh dear! Will you check back with them?"

"If there's time. After we get everything from the trucks sorted and into the shelter or storage. Maybe I'll call before we go in. Roger said the water truck came today."

"Yes, while you were in town fetching Mrs. Ware. They filled it and said they'll be back in two to three weeks depending on the depth of fallout or weather or something. They have protective gear and the water will also be protected."

Tim gave a short laugh and she looked at him as he explained, "Just about everything online about bomb shelters and living in them is fairly old, I think the most modern information I saw was dated 1987 although the guy that wrote them is still regarded as the expert. The site that had the newest information, about the pre-made bomb shelters, scared me too much so I went back to the old ones and then Jerry offered to look into the shelter.

"Anyway, we have more products to use now and gear that is more protective. Still, it never occurred to me that a water company would have hazmat suits so they could service their customers! Not to mention modified technology so we can use toilets, washers, and dryers. One site recommended dipping clothes in boiling water to disinfect them; I can't imagine 84 people doing that, much less 130! And I forget what it said about shoes once you've been outside After. I bought cases of crime scene booties; we'll be very careful about who goes out and each person can wear a pair and toss them into the garbage before they enter the tunnel."

"It's a good thing though!"

"Oh yeah."

"You see us using the tunnel more than the main entrance?"

"I can only speak for myself and that's a yes, mostly because I'll find going outside through the house comforting."

She chuckled, "Works for me too!"

They went back into the house and as he'd volunteered to cook tonight, Tim started getting dinner ready. He was using Mrs. Ware's leftovers as a base, making a beef stew with dumplings. Mrs. Ware, whose first name was Toni, entered the kitchen smiling. "You are a man of many talents, Timothy!"

He smiled at her as he shrugged, "Well I can cook a little and solve crimes!"

"And many other things I'm sure. Now, what can I do to help?"

"Your choice, either a salad or sauté some of the fresh veggies we brought from your garden. Thanks for letting us bring everything!"

"I'm just glad it won't go to waste. A hot fresh veggie dish sounds good. What do you want sautéed and in what, oil, broth?"

"We can slice up the sweet potatoes, summer squash, carrots and zucchini, the broccoli florets and those mushrooms you had and throw in that fresh spinach a couple of minutes before it's all done. What goes over best with this crowd is to sauté onions in evo, it's in the cupboard there and then add whatever vegetables you have handy, throwing in garlic powder and a few pinches of chili powder. Just a tiny bit, actually, better leave out the chili powder. My wife is pregnant and heartburn is beginning to be a problem plus my grandfather and Colonel Barnes need to go light with spices. Maybe use Italian seasoning. I don't usually add salt or pepper. My son has problems with black pepper and no one in my family needs more sodium."

He paused in thought before continuing, "Once the carrots and sweet potatoes are sliced, put them in the Potato Express, I'll get that for you, and steam them in the microwave for a few minutes before adding them to the sauté, that way they won't still be crunchy." He looked in a cabinet and took out what looked like a cross between an overgrown potholder and a large fabric envelope. "This is the Potato Express. When you have the sweet potatoes and carrots sliced, put them in here and toss the whole thing in the microwave for 5 minutes."

"All right; this sounds delicious! Tell me, what's evo? And then I want to know about your family."

"Oh! Sorry, it's extra virgin olive oil."

Chuckling she opened the cupboard and found the bottle, next to a bottle of cooking wine. Pointing to the wine, she asked,"Do you use this?"

"Yes, in fact I've already added it to the stew. Is that all right?"

"Oh yes, my mouth is watering!"

He laughed. "I've never made dumplings for a crowd before so I'm going to throw some rolls in the oven too."

Quickly making those he set them in the oven and then peeked into the three large slow cookers he had going; they had two here and he'd brought his favorite one from home. He'd chunked up and added the Wares' leftover pot roast in with the beef stew pieces he already had cooking, knowing the flavors would meld in the slow cooker.

While they worked, she asked him questions about his family, remembering he'd had two young children when he and his father lived here before but never mentioned a wife or mother. "My two older kids are a long story. Their birth mothers married each other and used a sperm bank to get pregnant. And I was the donor although I didn't know. I'd had a cancer scare back in college and decided to prepare for a sterile future. Anyway, the kids' mothers were murdered and…" he quickly told Sue and Deeny's story, finding the kids, taking them home and finding out he was their father.

"When I found that out, I also found out that my boss was my father. Big shock as he never knew he had a son and I never knew I was adopted. I was orphaned when I was 9 and - that's a story for another time. Anyway, that's how we learned we were related. In the meantime, I was dating a co-worker and things were serious between us when we were brought here without her.

"Eventually we went home, Ellie and I got married about a month later and she adopted the kids. Then late last year there was a bad accident near our house; a young couple and their aunt were killed, leaving behind an infant who luckily was safe with a babysitter. Baby Lia ended up with us as a foster child. Her adoption went through a week ago and she's all ours. And now we're pregnant with a boy."

"My goodness! And do you have sisters and brothers?"

"Yes, one biological, 4 adopted. Two sisters and 3 brothers." Tony wasn't legally adopted but that little detail didn't count for much in the Gibbs' family.

"That's wonderful! And you must be the oldest."

"I'm not, my brother Tony is the eldest and then brother Geordie. They'll be here late tonight when Pete rolls in. I'm actually the middle kid, have two younger sisters and a younger brother. You'll meet him at dinner; he's the tall skinny one. He and our sister Kelly are two of our four doctors."

The timer rang and Tim pulled the rolls out of the oven, covering them so they'd stay warm. They were eating buffet style so they could seat everyone, and the children put out the plates, cups, cutlery and napkins. Ellie and Eileen poured iced tea for the adults and older kids and milk for the younger ones. With help, the two cooks brought in the large bowls of stew, dumplings, and the vegetables and put them on the table while Brynie and Teddy followed with the baskets of rolls.

Ducky looked at the feast and then at Tim. "My goodness, Timothy, we'll have to exercise quite a lot to keep from gaining weight!"

He smiled, "Thank Mrs. Ware, Ducky. We brought the contents of her refrigerator and freezer plus we picked all her fresh veggies."

"Thank you, Mrs. Ware!"

She nodded, looking a bit nervous, "You're welcome and please call me Toni."

They dug in, enjoying every bite, leaving only enough for the cleaning crew to have a bite each. When Breena said they should have saved some for their drivers, Tim snorted, "Heck no, they've had Jacob, Elaine, and Nancy cooking for them for three days!"

That brought laughter and the comment was explained to Toni and those Bishops who hadn't been to either of the diners. After dinner, they again played outside until dark and then the younger children were tucked into bed. They sat out on the screened in porch, enjoying the cooler air and waiting for the caravan.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

That day, Monday, had been brutally hot and they were all tired; Pete was right, they needed several hours rest. When Rick's car blew a tire, they didn't bother changing it. Word passed to Pete, he hit his emergency flashers, pulled over and everyone behind him did the same. The Carters had been toward the rear, a few cars behind Mover#3. Once everyone was stopped, they backed the nearest towed vehicle, the DiNozzos' Mercedes, off the tow trailer hitched to the back of MovingVan#3. Tony handed Rick the keys of the Gibbs' van he'd been driving and hopped into the Mercedes. The Carters' car was loaded onto the tow trailer, Rick, Denise climbed into the van, and on they went.

By the time they rolled into the KOA, they felt like they'd lived their lives in these vehicles. They put up their tents, changed into their swim things and swam several laps, ran or walked on a trail before starting to feel human again. In the meantime, the KOA folks fired up a large grill, serving them barbecued chicken, corn on the cob, coleslaw and biscuits. Jethro, Shannon, Pete, Kelly, Sarah, Bob, and Geordie were all wearing their cowboy/girl boots when they got there and the managers, already big fans, got a big kick out of them.

After they feasted, everything was locked up and they set their alarms for 6 hours. The day was still warm, their tummies were full and soon they all dropped off. When they woke, they were refreshed and ready to roll again. They thought there was 7 hours to go to reach the ranch but with the lack of traffic, they were making excellent time and Pete estimated they'd reach the ranch in a little over 6 hours. The sun set shortly after they were back on the road and in the darkness with their adrenaline pumped up again, the miles passed swiftly.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Mstaz308 for her tip about canning fresh meat. You and the others already mentioned made your suggestions in time for me to add them in. Thanks to everyone who has made suggestions or expressed concerns about various things. I believe right now, our folks are as prepared as they can be. Well, most of them.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Very Early Morning, Tuesday July 2nd, 2019

Before they realized it, they were honking farewells to Nancy, formerly the owner of 'Diner the Great' in Silver Spring, as she turned off at the exit for Taos. Now they were only two hours and fifteen minutes out from Albuquerque, under three hours to the ranch. With little traffic, they reached the city limits of their new hometown in ninety minutes. Shannon was driving and Jethro pulled out his phone to call his son. He looked at his watch, it was 0200 but they'd promised so he called.

Tim picked up right away. He'd given up trying to sleep and was again on the screened porch with Jerry and George. "Dad, Mom?"

"We're in Albuquerque, son, we'll be there in about 20 minutes."

"Wonderful, can't wait to see you all!"

"Same here."

"Your beds are ready, you can tumble right in."

He laughed when he heard his mother say, "I knew I loved you for a reason!"

They turned on the porch lights and the floodlight Tim had attached to the side of the gate at the edge of the driveway. He'd planned to put it on a power pole, forgetting the power and communication lines were underground out here. He'd also set up floodlights on one end of the barn and would turn those on when the first truck turned into the driveway. The shelter perimeter was outlined with double lines of solar lights and barricaded by the Bishops' vehicles, parked at a safe distance from the excavation site.

He walked out on the road, grinning as he saw the Ortizes had their lights blazing too. That was a nice welcome! When he saw dozens of pinpoints of light stretching back over the curves of the road, he knew it was the caravan, probably still a good 10 miles out. He took several photos hoping one of them would have some definition to it. It was a pretty sight, akin to a candlelight procession curving around although these 'candles' were large headlights. He watched for a minute and then hurried back to his driveway and waited, now on the front porch with Jerry, George, and John, who had joined them.

Toni appeared on the porch, fully dressed. "I saw the lights go on, are they close?"

"Yes, I walked out on the road and saw their headlights stretched out over Quail Hill, around that last curve before the road straightens out again. It was really something, a parade of lights. I think they were about ten miles out; they'll be here in a few minutes."

"Thank heavens!"

They all nodded at that and when Pete's truck entered the driveway, Tim felt one of the bigger knots in his stomach dissolving. Once again, his deepest fear - being separated from his loved ones - had been bested.

Out on the road, the other moving vans pulled forward as cars, the RV and pickup trucks pulled off to the side in preplanned, almost choreographed moves. The big trucks needed to enter the property and then back in fairly close to the house; they had first dibs on parking.

Most of the residents poured out of the house, guesthouses, and barn to watch the spectacle although it was a little ho-hum at first. Having discussed the layout with Jethro, Pete knew where he wanted the movers to park. Once he got situated, he honked twice and the next truck drove in and parked following Pete's direction. They followed that pattern until all four of the trucks were in place and then all four honked as a signal for the rest of the caravan to come on home. Even though all the floodlights were on, Tim, Leon, Rob, Jerry and John hurried into the yard with flashlights, directing traffic.

And then chaos descended on them as the drivers parked and poured from the vehicles to greet family and friends. When they finally turned toward the house, the children were on the porch, under the watchful eyes of the older kids. Ty and Brynie were nearly bursting with excitement and when their father got close he nodded to Matt Crane, who was closest to them, and with a grin, the young man said one word to Ty: "Go!"

He grabbed his sister by the hand and they ran to their grandparents, nearly jumping in their arms. Tim was prepared and put out an arm to slow them down. "No jumping, they're very tired!"

Poppy and Nonny were grateful for that, pretty sure they would have just gone straight to the ground if the kids had jumped them. Once the two had properly greeted their grandparents, they found aunts, uncles, and friends to welcome.

Within a few minutes, everyone was in or around the house. The movers were given a hot meal before three of them walked wearily back to their cabs to catch some sleep. Unloading would wait for daylight. Pete, an arm around his wife, disappeared into the library where she'd been trying to sleep.

At first they thought of unloading the cars and trucks but then Tim pointed out it would be confusing in the dark and they'd likely have to move some things again in daylight. That killed that idea in favor of food and sleep. They'd made bag lunches for everyone and handed those out as the drivers were escorted to their assigned beds with the Rourkes spending another night in their RV.

By 0330, ninety minutes after Jethro's call, the lights were out and the residents of Rancho la Serenidad were tucked in for the rest of the night. Serenidad is the Spanish noun for serenity, they'd finally agreed on a name.

By 0830, several people were up and moving around, fixing themselves breakfast and beverages. Keys to all the vehicles but the big trucks had been left out, labeled with the vehicle plates so the first folks dressed and not tending to little ones headed outside to start unloading. Over the last few days, the decision had been made to store items for After in the last two outbuildings not yet converted to guesthouses.

Leaving the movers to sleep, individual vehicles were unloaded first. Each box or item was labeled for either shelter or storage. Shelter items were trundled to the main door of the shelter and carefully piled there.

While one team did that, another team carried the boxes and items inside the shelter. Each item was placed outside the wall of the appropriate bedroom; Tim and Rob had stapled the name signs to the doors the day before. They'd thought to put odd items inside the rooms but realized that would hinder moving the beds. Boxes of books went to the library or classroom, depending on the labels.

By the time they had the Colonel's chair, the heaviest item from the individual vehicles, moved in, the movers were awake, fed and ready to start unloading. The beds, box springs and frames came first and Tim was very happy that everything for each owner had been carefully grouped together. While that was underway, Rob, Matt Crane (there were now two Matts, one a teen-aged foster of the Cranes, one a 7-year-old Bishop) and Emily Fornell helped move the Rourkes' mattress into their shelter room, laying it atop the platform made by Steve Ortiz.

Elaine beamed, "Thank you so much, oh this is wonderful!"

John and George had already moved a dresser from the house for them, which made the Rourkes even happier. Emily and Ainsley stayed to help with their suitcases while Jacob helped with the general unloading.

Once the beds and cribs were in, water and food came next. Several of the large containers of water were placed between the kitchen and laundry area with a length of hose and a metal bucket hung nearby on a hook screwed into the concrete wall. The shelter vendor assured Jerry that lightweight hooks, rated to hold up to 8 pounds, would not compromise the integrity of the shelter walls. The bucket and hose were there to make getting the water out of the huge containers easier; it could be siphoned into the bucket rather than lifting the whole container. One of the storage cabinets was placed there too. Laundry detergent and dishwasher soap would be stored in there along with various other items. The laundry schedule would eventually be taped to the doors.

The rest of the water containers were carried into the tunnel and covered with a large tarp. They'd move them into the shelter as needed.

Headboards and foot-boards came next while the movers got the appliances onto dollies and wheeled them down the ramps. Not surprisingly, many of the headboards and all of the foot-boards ended up in storage. The few headboards remaining were fastened to bed frames by their owners. The Carters had a clever shelf fastened to their headboard, running the width of their bed, essentially giving them most of the storage space they would have had with nightstands. There were even cables running along the front to prevent anything from sliding off and onto sleeping heads. Jethro spotted it from outside the room and asked to take a closer look. When Rick agreed to his suggestion that the shelf could handle a little more weight with the addition of a bracket attached all the way through to the concrete wall, Jethro grabbed his drill, bolt and anchor, a small bracket and had it done in minutes. As he admired the shelf, he decided to make a few, at least one for each of his kids; he'd brought some cut boards as well the lumber he'd bundled together. He'd have to modify the pattern a bit but that shouldn't be a problem.

While he helped move the ovens, freezers, dishwasher, washers, dryers and refrigerators in and then helped Tim get them hooked up to the power grid, he thought about that shelf and how many he could make. He'd start with one for his and Shannon's room, then one for each of his kids and if there was time, he'd do more if anyone wanted one. He had two big jars full of bolts meant for concrete and as long as they kept the weight load down, they should be fine.

The beds, appliances, water, and food were in and now they could see the back of three of the vans. Several couches were moved in and when there was plenty of room left, a few more were added. Several recliners and casual chairs joined them, enough for about 45 people to sit at a time. That was more than half of the population; with another three couches added, they were up to two-thirds. Side tables were placed here and there and the lounge was complete. The rest of the couches, chairs and side tables would go into the classroom, library, media room or storage.

The media room soon had 6 TVs and as many DVD and DVD/VHS players. Five sofas, several chairs, side tables and eventually a few dressers were carried in; the dressers would hold the TVs, players, VHS tapes, DVDs. A few blanket throws completed the furnishings. While the walls of the garden, media, library and fitness rooms were concrete, the shelter crew added prefab walls to the sides, front and then hung doors so that each of those rooms could be closed off for noise control and the illusion of privacy.

Next came the dining tables and chairs. Once they had all of them out of the trucks, the shelter residents chose several smaller tables, four and six seaters, and five large ones, including Ducky's. Again, these would seat roughly 2/3rds of the population at a time.

Tim was happy to see both the Colonel and Ducky's library tables go directly to the classroom along with Mateo's tiny table, more of the unused dining tables and nearly all of the side chairs. Two desks and rolling chairs came in and went on opposite sides and ends of the large room for the teachers' use.

Next was a screened room divider Tim hadn't seen before; Bob told him it was Mel's. She'd planned to leave it behind but they thought it might be useful for the classroom and brought it to the warehouse Friday night during the President's emergency address. It wasn't long enough for the entire length of the classroom but Jethro brought in unused wall and door partitions and those helped. Bookcases were placed across the back and front while two side by side bookcases formed the end of the divider, one facing one side of the room, the other facing the opposite.

At some point, they'd discarded the plan to keep slaughter animals. They had powdered milk, powdered eggs, water to mix with them and freezers and shelves to store the meat they'd purchased. With three generators, they'd be sure to have some power and if the freezers or refrigerators failed for some reason, they had enough canned food, including baby food, and a large supply of jerky to last the duration. Jethro and Jerry moved two of the grills into the tunnel, along with several bags of charcoal and wood. Just in case or at least that's what they said.

With no natural light, floor and table lamps would be needed along with the overhead lights. Those were randomly placed; they could be moved around as appropriate and there were enough for each bedroom although several people brought their own.

At least forty containers of seedlings, carefully transported in the back seat of the Gibbses' truck, were brought down and Tim and Geo hung the grow lights for them while Bec and Kelly assembled the drip system piping that would keep the plants moist without wasting any of their precious water. Bec brought a small water tank, they would empty their filtered gray water into that and the drip system would distribute it to the plants. Along with carrots, spinach, cabbage, lettuce and kale were peas, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, corn, onions, several kinds of beans and several tasty or scented herbs.

Tim popped back in later to see what was going on and smiled when he spotted the pots of soy and canola beans marked 'for Tim's use only' – his future fuel! And then he grinned when his father carried in an apple tree. It wasn't the original one, that had been too big for the trip, but it would eventually give them home-grown apples. They wouldn't have any while it was in the shelter as they had no pollinators but he was happy to see it nonetheless. Pollination would be done by hand for the rest of the plants that needed it.

When his mother asked Tim to come outside he went, wondering what was happening. When he reached the trucks he remembered an off the cuff whimsical wish as Mover#4 backed a yellow and black muscle car out of the van and down the ramp.

The NCIS crowd gathered around as Jethro approached the car, the look on his face priceless. As if his fairy godmother had just granted a wish. He blinked and blinked again before reaching out to touch the vehicle.

Shannon kissed him, "Surprise, honey!"

He frowned, just as Tim predicted. "Who did this, Shannon? Such a lot of space, we could have used it for other things."

His kids edged up through the crowd, laughing at him and Geo called out, "Dad, you gonna send it back?"

He turned, trying to keep the frown but his grin won out and he swept his wife into his arms for a deep kiss, to the delight of the entire crowd. When she was back on her feet, she pointed at Tim, who'd retreated to stand with his wife, kids and siblings.

"It was Tim's idea."

Tim blanched and turned, trying to disappear into the crowd but his escape was blocked and then two strong arms wrapped around him. "Thank you, son!"

Cheers and applause went up from the bystanders, even the movers were laughing. Then, the break over, more dressers came off truck#4; they'd been tucked behind the Challenger. By this time, the residents were aware of the space available for the dressers and the measurements of that space. Those who had vertical dressers, sometimes known as 'highboys', had no problems, in fact in some cases they could fit two side by side. Some of the horizontal dressers fit but most would not. As there were extra vertical storage cabinets and vertical bookshelves, those would stand in for the dressers.

Several of the too-large dressers went into storage; a few were used elsewhere in the shelter. Three matching in height and depth became a long kitchen 'island' with oilcloth from someone's stash fastened on the top to prevent any damage, the drawers used for storage. Others were used in the media room; one went in the nursery as an extra changing table and three swapped places with the vertical storage cabinets in the pantry.

Tim was happy when all his family's dressers fit. The kids' dressers went in the nursery, girls' or boys' rooms, next to the crib or bed of each child. Brynie's had two drawers across and four up; a tall dresser painted her favorite colors while Tyler and Lia's were vertical also painted their favorite colors although Lia's was really her mommy's favorite colors. Tim's was vertical; Ellie left her horizontal bureau behind, bringing the vertical one from their downstairs bedroom instead.

Mac was pleased with his new dresser. Jethro and Shannon surprised Mateo and Rob with new dressers, ordered online and delivered here. Jethro took a few minutes to assemble them, with help from his youngest son, their new friend and Brynie who explained proudly that she and her daddy already built Grandpa's new dresser.

One of the questions asked while planning the bedrooms was if any of the singles might want to share a room. Now Tim and the shelter group were glad they shelved the idea as they'd be living communally anyway and the bedrooms were the only places with the slightest modicum of privacy.

They'd been a little surprised to find the bathrooms had three toilets apiece, in privacy stalls but still they were not separate rooms and of course there were no 'baths'. In place of sinks, a shelf held boxes of hand wipes and a tube of NoAgua, with a trash can below. When someone suggested adding portable fans to the restrooms, Tim again gathered his electrician's tools, adding an outlet to each restroom. Between the residents, they scrounged up enough fans of varying sizes. Each of those rooms also had storage for extra toilet paper and air freshener.

When they had everything inside if not exactly in place - the canned food was still in boxes in the pantry - they were hungry. Back outside, they made a group decision to have another barbecue. With Jacob coaching as to quantities, Jethro and Jerry fired up four of Jethro's grills. Tim, Ellie and Shannon washed, sliced and prepared several pounds of potatoes for roasting while Tobias and Tony did the same with Mrs. Wares' fresh vegetables. Wrapped in foil, the potatoes and veggies went on the grills first as they'd take longer to cook than the burgers. Sarah and Bob made iced tea, iced coffee and lemonade, first making sure there was enough ice.

While the prep work was in progress, Rick, Geo and Ned drove to the nearest grocery store, a 10-mile drive, buying enough ice cream for dessert. On their way to the store, they stopped at a roadside stand selling locally grown fresh blackberries. The men purchased the entire inventory of blackberries along with every other fresh fruit or berry the vendors had.

By the time the shoppers returned, the rest of the crew had a very long makeshift table in place with patio chairs, chairs from the house and shelter. And five high chairs for their babies and toddlers. While Arin DiNozzo was old enough for a booster seat, he was a tiny little boy and felt more secure in a high chair.

The three movers weren't leaving until after dark, they had a shelter waiting for them in eastern Arizona and planned to drive to their destination that night, still convoying. Each of them had shipped personal belongings ahead so once they got to their destination they'd lock up their trucks, prepare the cab for long-term storage, grab their go bags and take shelter.

Today was July 2nd; they were cutting it close but all three were confident they'd get to safety in time. The youngest one quipped that they knew how to make a trench shelter under the trucks if they had to. There was dead silence and then Geo said, "Take some of the plastic bags then, I've seen pictures of people covering themselves with those to protect from the stuff in the air."

"Nah thanks; we have plenty of those ourselves and we'll be there in plenty of time, it's less than a 4 hour drive to Winslow, where we're sheltering."

Pete looked at them, "Send me a text when you get to the shelter."

They agreed and the others relaxed. As they sat around the table, enjoying their feast, most couldn't help looking around at what they could see of the ranch. For those who'd driven in early this morning, this was really the first chance they'd had to catch their breaths and look around.

With a slight breeze to keep the insects away, everyone relaxed as they ate and drank, almost able to forget their troubles. The food was delicious and best of all there was little mess to clean up as they'd used disposable plates and utensils. Those were swept into garbage bags and placed into bins that were rolled out to the road; garbage day was Wednesday.

After cleaning up, the three truckers wished everyone good luck and took off for Arizona. The makeshift table was dismantled, the furniture returned to house, shelter or storage, the younger children bathed and tucked into bed.

Radios and laptops were turned on for the news. The government reported that 89% of the population in the designated evacuation zone had been evacuated. The US Navy, Coast Guard ships, Royal British and Canadian Navy and several other countries' ships and private boats were assisting, reminding history buffs of the rescue at Dunkirk during World War II.

Private yachts, fishing boats and others formed flotillas and took their passengers north to Maine, Canada or south to Florida and some of the Caribbean nations. The various Navy and Coast Guard ships continued to evacuate people from the offshore islands, along the coast, around Chesapeake Bay, heading for parts unknown.

Dave and Jim looked at each other before Dave said, "They're taking them to Canadian seaports, Puerto Rico, the American and British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Trinidad-Tobago and Guantanamo Bay. There's plenty of room at Gitmo now and the Cubans will help."

They nodded when ZNN broke the news that the Cuban government was taking in thousands of refugees from the U.S. The irony of that was lost only on those too young to remember the years when thousands fled Cuba in frequently inadequate boats.

Although the government target for evacuation was 100% it was also reported that thousands of shelters were being built everywhere along the East Coast of the US and Canada, and as far west as Arizona. Officials reported that all the government servers and vital equipment had been removed from the expected blast zones as had the documents and treasures from the National Archives. The Smithsonian, National Art Gallery and many other museums had moved as many artifacts as possible to safer locations and Tim looked at Ducky who looked relieved and saddened. He felt the same way but at least they'd had warning.

He sighed, saying, "Every life, every treasure saved we owe to those two agents who died getting those files. And to the allied agent they gave that thumb drive, for getting it to the U.S. They're the heroes in this story."

Ellie leaned into him, kissing him softly, "You're right, sweetheart, and you helped continue their mission by breaking that last code. If you hadn't done that, we'd still be in DC and millions would likely die."

Tim blinked, he hadn't thought about it like that. He was doing his job but so had they and they were heroes to him. He kissed Ellie. Exhausted from the long day of physical labor, the group turned in early.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Wednesday, July 3rd, 2019

Morning

Tim was up before dawn, uneasy; slipping into their bathroom for a shower, wondering if this would be his last one for the duration. By first light, Lia was waking so he changed her, taking her downstairs for breakfast. His father joined him a few minutes later. Tim's gut was roiling and he was sure his father's was too. Neither was the least bit surprised when Tony joined them, Arin in his arms. "I change him before he eats, right?"

"After he's been asleep, yes. And then at some point after he eats."

"Ok, thanks. We need to move into the shelter today."

Jethro nodded, "Agree."

Tim tried not to twitch, "This morning. Tonga has the biggest time difference to DC, 17 hours. New Zealand, Fiji, the Marshall Islands and Tarawa are 16 hours ahead of DC. The attack isn't coming from that side of the world as it's already July 4th. I'm trying to convince myself the attackers will wait until it is July 4th here but I'm not buying it. We need to move into the shelter this morning, all in, doors sealed before noon."

Tony frowned, "I can't believe I haven't asked this before but if the East Coast gets hit, what will happen here?"

"Depends how many strikes there are. We'll feel some impact but since it hasn't happened since World War II, it's hard to say. The sky will change in minutes depending on the prevailing winds. If it's DC, we'll be fine as long as we watch radiation levels and the fallout. If they launch missiles west of DC, NORAD for instance, we'll be in the shelter for weeks longer. We'll still be all right and we have enough supplies to wait it out but the fallout will be heavier." He didn't add that millions more would die; they already knew that.

"Good thing White Sands is closed."

"And they made a big deal about dismantling the missiles, yes, having the site inspected before, during and after. If the base was still operational, we'd be somewhere else."

"Yeah."

Jethro set his coffee mug down and reached for his littlest grandson. "Come to Poppy, Arin."

The little boy squealed and Lia babbled at him while the faces of the three men split into big smiles.

"Gotta love the squeals and the babble!"

"Oh yeah. So Arin, what do Daddy, Uncle Tim and Poppy need to move today, do you know?"

The toddler said something unintelligible and looked at them expectantly. Tim grinned, "I think that might have been, 'feed me!'"

Poppy juggled him some more, "Ok, so Daddy, what does he eat for breakfast?"

Tony's eyes widened, he'd only had a day and a half with his little one before Maggie brought him here; for a minute he looked helpless. "Oh, uh, hot something - cereal. Cream of something."

Tim nodded, "Cream of rice or wheat; Lia can have the rice version. And fruit, milk, and toast. Sound good?"

Thankfully, little Arin nodded this time. Lia and Arin were placed in their high chairs while their daddies got breakfast ready. Tim wanted eggs so the menu was amended from hot cereal to scrambled eggs, parts of a banana for each child, milk and toast for Arin and milk for Lia. The babies finished and were having their faces cleaned when they heard someone on the stairs. Jimmy came in holding Ricky. "Morning. Feels like we should move in soon. Today, early. Got any eggs left?"

Lia was pulled into her Poppy's arms so Ricky could use the high chair. "Yes we are and yes to the eggs. You want some too?"

"Yes please. And is there any banana left? Rickman can have that too."

While Ricky waited for eggs, he ate some of the Cheerios Daddy put on the tray. He bounced up and down when the eggs were in front of him and ate them with his hands. Jimmy shook his head, "He doesn't always want to be fed. Going through an independent stage, I guess." He pulled the strings off the rest of the banana and broke it up into little pieces. "There you go, tiger!"

He looked up, "Weird how they're all so different. Teddy would love it if we still fed him and Victoria never gave us a moment's grief about food or eating."

Tim was thoughtful, "Hadn't considered this before, but little Mac will be my first baby from birth."

"Yeah, that's right; you've never done the 'no sleep for three months' bit."

Tim shook his head, "Ellie and I have been having chats with baby, explaining how Mommy and Daddy really need our sleep."

Dad and Jimmy snorted while Tony looked thoughtful, "Glad Arin's past that stage."

When Rick and his daddy were through, the kitchen was cleaned up and Poppy did a recon of the refrigerator and freezer. "We'll take everything down and unplug the appliances."

"Yep; some of the Wares' food is in the freezer and whatever Jacob brought in from the RV. Plus all the berries and fruit the guys bought yesterday."

Deciding to get the babies ready because they'd take the longest, the three daddies headed back to their rooms to get started while Poppy started gathering things. When Lia was dressed and Tim was ready, he found Emily downstairs and asked her to take care of the baby while he moved the high chair into the shelter. "We're moving in today?"

"Yes. Don't know what time zone the bad guys are in, whether they'll attack when it's July 4th their time or wait for Eastern Daylight Time. Not taking any chances!"

"That makes sense. Are Ty and Brynie up?"

"Not yet."

"Why don't I wake those rooms up and get them moving and I'll get someone else to help too. How much needs to be done?"

"Food from here, the clothes we've been wearing, high chairs and toys. We can go in through the basement tunnel." He kissed Lia, "I have to go to work now, sweetie. Emily is going to take care of you until your mommy or one of your grandparents is available."

She patted his face and he smiled at her. "I swear she knows what I'm saying; she has for a couple of months now."

"Obviously a highly intelligent being!"

He handed Lia to her, "Takes one to know one, Ms. Fornell!"

She chuckled, "Thanks!"

He wiped the high chair down and took the tray off, holding it under his arm. Taking it downstairs to the basement, he left it by the tunnel door, turning around to head back up and grab the food. His father came in with the other high chair. "How many of these things do we have?"

"Four I think. And booster seats for them all too. I was going to grab the food but I suppose other people will want breakfast."

"Huh, good point. Your mother's up now and I heard Jerry talking to Emily, guess he's helping her with the kids. What else?"

Tim told him and they walked through the house picking up toys and putting them in trash bags to go downstairs. When Dad stepped on a rubber cat that made a horrible noise, they looked at each other and he kicked it under a low chair where it couldn't be seen. "Oops, don't know where that went!"

"Hope that isn't someone's favorite toy!"

"We'll ask all the parents. I know it's not Lia's or Ricky's!"

Later they found out it was Arin's, a present from a misguided adult; Maggie thanked them for leaving it upstairs.

By the time they'd finished looking through all the rooms that didn't have sleeping people in them, most of the sleeping people were awake and heading for the kitchen. Those staying in the guesthouses and barn had their own food and kitchens so they wouldn't need to be fed. Dad made phone calls to let people know they needed to be totally moved into the shelter by 1100 this morning. Tim looked from the screened porch and reported sudden activity.

While he and Dad were watching, they heard familiar voices on the stairs and Ellie, Ty and Brynie appeared. They were kissed good morning and Poppy offered to fix breakfast for them, saying he'd spotted frozen waffles in the freezer. Tim wanted some too and the family, minus Lia, sat down together. They'd used paper plates and plastic cutlery so nothing needed to be washed except hands and faces.

Back upstairs, Ellie took a shower while Tim reclaimed Lia. Once everyone was dressed, the kids helped their dad move their overnight bags down to the basement and he opened the tunnel door. "Time to start getting this stuff in!"

They had their things in and went back to the main floor to see what they could help with when the Wares entered the kitchen. "Got a text about 1:00 AM, they reached Winslow, locked up the trucks, disconnected the batteries, removed the tires, put the cabs on blocks, covered them and were walking through the doors of the shelter."

"Good! Which reminds me, how many radios do we have?"

Toni said, "We have two and you know your dad has one."

"That's good and I know he brought several batteries for his."

"We did too and it's one of those that wind up. Even if there are no batteries we can wind it up and get reception."

"Great! Ok, so let's see, just about all the house residents are at the table. Come on in, please."

"Announcements?"

"Move time, yeah."

"Ok."

Tim stood while the others ate breakfast. "We're moving in this morning; we need to be in the shelter, doors closed and locked before noon. We don't know in which direction the attack will come from and we don't know what time zone the bad guys are in and if they'll use their time zone to determine July 4th or Eastern Daylight Time. We've gotten ourselves here with what we need; now we need to continue moving into the shelter.

"For those of us in the house, it's easier to move in through the basement tunnel. The basement is dirt, so wear shoes and not flip-flops! I have the air circulation pumps going in the shelter, both doors are open to get as much fresh air as possible this morning, and of course, the vents are open. One of the generators is on and I've switched the appliances over to the shelter power grid and off the extension cords. Jerry, let's take those cords in with us.

"As soon as you've cleaned up the kitchen and we know that everyone's eaten, the refrigerator and freezer up here need to be emptied, turned off and unplugged. Dad's put two large coolers out; the freezer stuff can go in one and the fridge stuff in the other. Any questions, oh, one from me! The Wares have two radios and Jethro has one, does anyone else have one?"

He almost laughed when Uncle Jim, Geordie, Maggie, Ducky, Uncle Dave and Colonel Barnes, all military people, raised their hands.

"Great! And you have extra batteries for them?"

They smiled at him, nodding.

"Thanks, that's good news! All right, I'm really done this time, any questions?"

"Can we come back out after we move in? I mean today, to sit in the sunshine?"

"No, there are four very reliable guts pinging like crazy this morning, Dad's, Tony's, Jimmy's and mine so no exit after we're in. Now, we'll need to gather all electronic devices, including the radios; put them in the shelter on the kitchen island. My helpers and I will wrap them as we've discussed and put them in the galvanized trash cans."

Tim was a bit disturbed by the question from his grandmother, worried that she didn't understand what was happening. Ducky gave him a reassuring look and he relaxed, trusting his friend would help Grammie.

He'd sent a text earlier to Secretary Benson, who'd given him his personal cell number. After they were in and the doors closed, he received a reply from the Secretary thanking him. They were safe and the President had ordered the evacuation teams to safety shortly before Tonga's calendar rolled over to July 4th.

He'd also sent a text to the Ortizes and was relieved at the reply that they'd do the same thing. Steve sent a second text that with much help they'd finished the rooms, tested everything and had enough food, water, medical supplies and vitamins. A third text from Steve said he wished they had a tunnel between the two shelters. Tim smiled; he'd like that too.

Tim found Marshall Mann's number; texting him, he received a reply that they were just finishing loading in and would close the doors shortly. Their shelter was partially underneath the Marshals' office building, accessed through the gym. He added they had Mary Shannon and her family, his father and most of Albuquerque's marshals and their loved ones. Tim sent him their landline phone number and got one in return. He already had the Ortizes' number so at least they could communicate with two other groups of people. He hoped.

While he thought about it, he sent a text to diner owner Nancy and received a brief reply that said the shelter was ready; they had enough food and water and would move in immediately. A second text said they'd passed the word on to other folks taking shelter. He found D'Arcy's cell number and sent her a text, receiving a reply that they were already in and would spread the word.

Rick sent word to Jim O'Brien in California; they wouldn't need to take shelter but he replied that he and his brother let everyone they knew to be ready. San Diego's new CCU manager Dallas reported Great Lakes and Galveston were in shelter, Seattle and San Diego were prepared, adding that he'd sent a text to Nikki Jardine in Maine and had word she and her shelter mates were in with the doors closed. Pete told Tim their drivers sheltering in Winslow Arizona had passed the word along to those they knew.

Later Tim discovered his shelter mates had sent texts to anyone for whom they had numbers, advising people to get inside now.

As everything was moved in, Geo and Tony moved the garbage bins into a small shed; to their relief the garbage company trucks hadn't picked up this morning. The garbage could sit for a few weeks; nobody would be around to smell it.

Tim captured air samples from the front porch and each floor of the house, adding soil samples from the ground adjacent to the front porch and the basement. Using separate transfer pipettes, he suctioned up samples of the air and loaded them into individual phials, marking each one with the location and date, doing the same thing for the soil samples.

These were their baselines for the house, basement and the ground outside. Weeks or possibly months from now when they started testing the basement, house and outdoors for radiation and air quality, they'd have 'before' samples to compare.

When he entered the shelter, he found his volunteers already wrapping the layers of foil around the electronic devices. They had three TVs small enough to fit in the metal trash bins and of course, all of the DVD and VCRs had to go in along with everyone's personal devices. Tim, Director Vance and a few other people had burn phones they would use while they worked.

By 1100, they had everything and everyone in and there was a quick consultation about giving people a few last minutes above ground. Leon reported feeling the same sense of impending danger as the other four (Ducky was quite proud of Jimmy for verbalizing his instincts) and that was that. No more sunshine.

The doors were sealed from the inside and everyone dispersed to unpack and settle in. Some of the younger kids headed for their playroom, the others joined the older kids helping in the library or the media room to unpack books. The boxes of DVDs and VHS tapes had joined the other magnetic/electronic items in the metal trashcans.

The babies played in the nursery, in their expanded 'kiddie corral' which took up most of the center of the room. The cribs, Teddy's toddler bed, dressers, rocking chairs and changing tables were against the walls. The floors in the nursery and playroom were cork, installed by Jerry and George so the kids wouldn't hurt themselves on the concrete if they fell. The cork flooring had the added advantages of somewhat muting noise and being easy to clean.

Tim and Ellie finished unpacking their clothes, deciding to keep nightwear, underwear, socks and shoes in the drawers built into their bed frame. Tim pushed their platform bed away from the wall a few inches and they tucked their suitcases behind, stacking their extra pillows and blankets on top. Ellie placed an adhesive hook on one of the walls; they'd hang their favorite landscape painting there in an hour when the adhesive had cured.

In the meantime, Ellie went to see what her mother was doing while Tim looked around the space, wondering where his father was. He was about to look for him when Elaine came out of her room. Seeing him, she said, "Tim, are there activities planned? I know the children will be in school but what about the rest of us?"

Tim smiled, "I forget you weren't in the planning session or on the teams! In addition to the fitness room, there's the garden to tend and there are sun lamps in there to get some Vitamin D. We have decks of cards, checkers, chess, poker chips, and board games, a ton of books in the library on a large range of subjects, including audio books, DVDs and VHS tapes of movies and TV shows in the media room, CDs too. The fitness room has three treadmills, seven stationary bikes, two glider looking things and a step thing.

"We're hoping someone will hold yoga instruction and Pilates. I'm sure that Ducky, my grandfather, grandmother and the Colonel can be persuaded to give lessons in bridge, canasta and cribbage. Somebody mentioned giving dance lessons; I don't remember who that was. Hmm, Ellie and I could teach line dancing.

"My mom and some of the others are going to sew, knit and crochet and we've been talking about mapping out a walking route around the shelter. Dad, Bob, and Tony will be teaching Russian, American Sign Language, Tagalog, Italian, and I think Jared and Jeff Crane were talking about teaching Spanish. I sure hope something in all that interests you!

"Or, what about giving cooking lessons? As long as you keep the use of the stovetops and ovens down to an extra hour a day, that should be fine. Tony is part of the Activities/Entertainment team, talk to him about getting that going if you want. And Elaine, none of us ever intended that you and Jacob cook for us!"

She smiled, "But we love to cook, Tim and we're used to cooking for a lot of people! Maybe we won't cook seven days a week, how's that? And we might just take up your idea of the cooking lessons but first I want to check out the library. I haven't had time to sit down with a book in thirty three years!"

With a smile, she crossed to the library while he continued his wander. Ellie was in the library unpacking boxes of children's books. That was good; those usually weren't heavy! He found his mother, Breena's mom Ginny, Grammie, Claire and Liz in the pantry shelving the canned food. When he offered to help, they put him to work. He admired their arrangements of like things together and they teased him about his organizational zeal.

When they took a break, he wandered again, saying hello to Leon and Lara, Toni Ware and several other people. He finally found his father in the Garden Room. He'd set up a small work area on the far side of the room and was measuring a piece of wood. Other pieces, already cut, lay nearby.

His big workbench from the house on E. Laurel was in storage in the largest storage shed. He brought three sawhorses, most of his bundles of wood and all of his tools into the shelter with him. The bundles of wood were out in the tunnel and he'd brought a footlocker with a sturdy lock to house his tools. It was stored in their bedroom, next to his side of the bed. Dad said if it meant that he had to walk sideways from his side of the bed to the end of it that was fine as long as his tools were safe. Mom said she planned to keep count how many times he stubbed a toe and swore at the footlocker.

From what Tim could see, his father was making some sort of shelf. He chuckled to himself, not yet in the shelter for 2 hours and Dad already had a project going!

Tim cleared his throat, "Here you are!"

"Hey son! Yeah, Bec said this was okay but I have to watch the sawdust build-up, it can hurt the plants if it gets too thick."

"You know this side of the tunnel is as safe as the shelter and plenty wide. There's an overhead light in there already, I could add another outlet and we could move this out there. Give you some room to work and some privacy."

"Huh, that's a good idea, never thought of the tunnel. And yeah, I'd need an outlet and a work light. You know I don't use power tools that often but I love the cordless drill the kids gave me for Father's Day."

"Good! Mind if we do it some other day?"

"That's fine, we all need time to settle in, think a lot of folks are a bit unnerved by us pushing to move in. Hope in a few days we'll be used to things."

He paused and then said, "Tim, in a nuclear strike does concrete always hold up?"

"Seems like a lot of it does, yes. There are no guarantees though; it depends on the chemical composition and thickness of the concrete and I suppose how the explosions hit it. Remember the photos of Chernobyl?"

"I should but I don't."

"Time to test internet connections." Tim pulled out his burn phone and in a couple of minutes showed his father a photo of Chernobyl with parts of some buildings still standing although obviously ruined.

"Geez that's horrible. I'm not worried about the shelter, I'm thinking of my parents' gravestones. Dad had Mom's carved by an artist, with a ship in a bottle. Jack's has some poetry on it that LJ and I chose."

They'd lost LJ two years ago when he caught a virus that quickly turned to pneumonia. Jethro made it to the hospital in time to say goodbye and Tim was glad he'd lived long enough to share his namesake's joy in his wife, children, and grandchildren.

"I know Dad; I saw it when we went to Stillwater last year. And I have photos of both of them, close-ups. If they're not in one piece, when it's safe we'll have them redone."

"You're a good son!"

"Thanks, you're a good dad! Hey, did you see our new medical bay? Our four docs put walls up to make a triple sized room, with two hospital beds plus the two exam tables. Mateo's helping them move one of the storage cabinets with a lock on it into the room."

"That's good! He and Kelly certainly get along well."

"I noticed."

His father sighed, "Sometimes it's really strange being a father again. To Kelly at least. Your little sister is not only grown-up, she's over 30 and I haven't had time to get used to it!"

Tim snorted, "I have a feeling all fathers feel that way about their daughters; I feel that way about Sarah. Heck, in 20 years I'll probably be saying the same thing about Brynie and Lia!" He paused, "But Dad, you've been a father for a long time. I know you never stopped mourning Kelly but then you hired Tony from Baltimore and became a dad again. And then you dived in headfirst with five more adult children!"

"You should talk! You've been a parent since you got on a bus with Sarah!"

"Guess so. Have to say, raising kids with someone else is a lot more fun!"

His gut twitched so hard he thought his whole body had moved; he looked at his father who was frowning, he bet his gut was churning too. "You have that old radio with you? My gut's going crazy; I'm surprised it can't be seen from outside my body."

"Yeah, mine too. Feels like something is about to happen."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Wednesday, July 3rd, 2019

Noon

Jethro put the radio on top of the workbench and turned it on. He'd decided to keep this one with him; his favorite radio was wrapped up in the metal trashcans. Father and son relaxed as they listened to the news. It was mostly about the evacuations. The government reported the percentage of people evacuated was now up to 94%. While Tim had a hard time wrapping his brain around more than 36 million people being evacuated from anticipated blast areas in less than a week, he'd made a conscious decision to believe it.

The news moved on to sports and the two men relaxed a little more listening to major league baseball scores. The teams were on the All Star break and the All Star game was set for next Tuesday, the 9th. Jethro and Tim were happy that two of their favorite players would be in the game.

They were kibitzing about that when the radio suddenly went dead. Jethro tried to find another station, moved the small antenna around, took the batteries out and put them back in. They were brand new batteries. Tim looked at the time: 12:14. Then he looked at the cell phone. It had worked minutes before but now there was no service; he took a deep breath to tell his father he thought something or someone was jamming their radio signals and satellites and/or an EMP event had occurred and then the ground shook beneath them. Tim started counting; the shaking stopped at 25 seconds.

They grabbed each other, moving toward the open door. The kids in the playroom were standing motionless or sitting on the floor, staring at each other, not sure what happened. Jeff, the older of the Crane fosters, was in the process of explaining earthquakes.

Jethro and Tim motioned everyone out to the common area and then ran to the nursery, helping Kelly carry the five toddlers to the common area. Breena and Ellie met them outside the door and between them, they held onto the five terrified little ones until Lara and Leon took the twins and Tony little Arin.

They were all in the common room, sitting on the furniture or the floor when there was a tremendous roar. Ellie thought it sounded like she was next to train tracks with a fully loaded freight train going past at full speed. But it was far more than that, more powerful, much louder, so intense, it felt like the entire universe was roaring. It was so loud people had their hands over their ears and parents covered up their children's ears. It went on for several seconds and then there was silence for nearly three minutes. Nobody said anything nor did anyone move; those able to think coherently hoped it was over, that the attack was over.

Then the ground shook again and Tim thought, two bombs, two strikes; this time the tremors lasted 19 seconds. The roar followed again and when it was over, they looked at each other in a daze. Nobody moved, too shocked and terrified. Many people were crying although seemingly unaware of the tears running down their faces.

Dead silence for three minutes, then five, then seven. And then somebody exhaled loudly and others followed. It seemed to be over and they were alive, here, sheltered.

Tim kissed Ellie, Ty, Brynie and Lia; with his father and Geordie, he began checking for damage. They checked the generators, shelter walls, floors and ceiling. The main entrance doors and both tunnel doors were still aligned and there were no cracks, dirt or concrete dust. They could hear the dogs barking and some loud noises from the cats but the outside of their shelter was in good shape too. The generator was running smoothly, they'd sustained no damage in here. Which was, after all, why they were here, to be safe, although scared and heartbroken.

When they returned to the common area, Leon, knowing it would be easier to revert to their usual roles, said, "Sitrep!"

"Generator's working, no spills, no cracks, the doors are aligned and none of the walls have shifted in any way. No cracks or crumbling in the wall, floors or ceilings. Same for the pet shelter."

"Good evaluation. The attack?"

Tim swallowed hard, "Two strikes, two bombs. I suppose there could have been more, if they were smaller strikes we might not feel them. We know what time it was here when they hit, when the ground shook from the volume of… I should be able to calculate…"

He pulled out his burn phone and tried it. While the display screen showed the date, time and menu icons, there was no service, which he expected. But at least he knew it hadn't been rendered useless by the HEMP. That industrial surge protector must have done its job.

Reaching into the metal can marked "laptops and tablets', he found his laptop and pulled it out. Unwrapping it, he sat down and powered it on. He was relieved when the device booted up with no problems. He had the information on his hard drive and a flash drive (buried in another metal can), wouldn't need the internet and didn't bother trying.

He marked the time they'd felt the first tremors, the roar and then calculated the distance. "I'm going to assume those hit DC." He talked to himself, never noticing the room full of people silently watching him, many of them still crying.

Once he figured out the times, he went to his international time zone chart and scanned through, making notes as to where clocks had recently struck midnight. There were five countries and two of those were mathematically the most likely, considering distance and trajectories. He asked Ned to double check his work. When he nodded, he looked at his boss, "I've got five countries where the timeframe matches."

"Good work, make your phone call."

Tim nodded but seemed stuck where he was sitting, staring at the screen.

His father, holding a sobbing Brynie in his arms, knew his son was in shock. They were all in shock. Knowing with a certainty what would get through to him, he barked, "McGee, report in!"

Drawing in a deep breath, Tim responded as expected. "On it, Boss."

Before he could pick up the phone, it rang. Feeling his son by his side, he took Ty's hand while he answered it.

"Shelter, Timothy Gibbs speaking."

"Agent Gibbs, Colleen Willoughby. Is everyone all right?"

"Yes ma'am, no injuries and the shelter came through fine. And you?"

"Shaken and bowed but not broken. The President would like to speak with you. Is your family nearby?"

"Yes ma'am, I'll put this on speaker."

Ty reached out and pressed the speaker button, leaning into his father. Tim took his hand again and moved his fingers up to his wrist, feeling the life pulsing through his son's veins. This is why they were here. To save their children. He felt a little calmer; their children were safe; his loves, his family and friends were safe.

Ellie, Brynie, Lia, and his parents were suddenly there with him along with his siblings, his in-laws and his boss. He looked at them, shrugging.

"Agent Gibbs." This was the President and Tim felt the press of more bodies.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Thank you. You saved millions of people with your diligence and perseverance."

"Ma'am, I…"

She interrupted him, "Oh, I know, you were "just" doing your job. I wanted to thank you anyway."

"Thank you. Ms. Willoughby said everyone there is all right?"

"Yes, we are. As are millions of others. Now we have to find the bastards who did this and bring them to justice."

"Ma'am, you probably know this already but there are five countries where the time and distance make them likely suspects. Or someone in the countries. I believe two are the most logical suspects as far as time, distance and trajectories."

"Tell us, Timothy, you're on speaker here too."

"First, my calculations are based on the strikes hitting DC and not anywhere outside of the East Coast. If I'm wrong then I need to recalculate." He paused as she said, "You're not wrong."

"My second assumption is that these were launched from land, not water. I noted the time here and calculated the delay in the ground movement and the atmospheric tears, the roaring, using…well you don't care about that now…to arrive at real time of the actual strikes. Then I looked up the time zones. As I said, there are five countries where July 3rd rolled into July 4th several minutes before the strikes. Of those countries, I calculated the distance and how long it would take for the missiles to reach us."

"You've narrowed our search, thank you! By the way, we're recording this."

"Good. Here are the countries…" He read them off and heard someone repeating them. "And the two." Tim told her, adding, "One is a large privately owned island."

"Happen to know owned by who?"

"I don't know if this is current but about ten years ago my team was pursuing a terrorist in that region and in my searches I came across that same island. At the time it was owned by…" Tim spelled the name and she groaned, "Bloody bazillionaire. All right, is there anything else?"

"No ma'am. Oh yes, I have my calculations saved. When we have internet capability I'll send them to you."

"Yes, we'll need them, Timothy. Thank you again. Stay safe and wish us luck in bringing down the perpetrators!"

"I do wish you luck and thank you." He hung up and sat down heavily on a chair someone had moved behind him. He pulled Tyler and Brynie onto his lap, hugging and kissing them both.

"They're gonna get the bad guys now!"

"Yes they will, Tyler Dean. Might take some time though."

Putting the kids down, he stood up and turned around, facing the others. They were looking at him with strange expressions and he frowned, puzzled. "The President and her cabinet survived, I'm sure they're safe under a mountain somewhere. The strikes hit DC and nowhere outside of the East Coast. I don't know anything more than that; they'll announce it when they have things confirmed. I managed to isolate several countries that qualified as far as time zones and distance to have launched the bombs and two of those that qualify best for distance are the top suspects."

Belatedly he realized he was crying and he sat down heavily, closing his eyes. Ellie and his parents were there in a second, holding onto him.

Finally, Tim's emotions were under control and he was allowed up. His kids were glued to one side of him and Ellie the other. Kissing her and taking her hand, they started to move forward. But Toni Ware blocked his way, standing close; too close which he thought was odd considering her phobias. She looked at him with wide, wild eyes. "Did you just call the President?"

He shook his head, "No, she called me."

"The President called you?"

He nodded saying, "I'm a federal agent. There are times we work with the White House on various cases or projects or participating in security details. I've worked on projects for various departments of the government. And she knows my dad and me because of the work we did here three years ago."

She continued, "You figured out who did this!"

Now he shook his head, "No, I figured out the countries whose time zones, distance and coordinates qualified people in those countries as suspects."

"You said something about chasing a terrorist."

Tim sent a pleading look to Tony who nodded, answering her question for his Probie. "Yes ma'am. We believed a former teammate of ours died on her way to take him down. We found him for ourselves and went to Somalia to complete her mission." He paused before continuing, "It was what we could do to honor her. But she wasn't dead, she was alive and we brought her home."

The woman's eyes got even wider and she addressed her remarks to Tim. "You chased a terrorist in Somalia? The place with no government and all the pirates?"

Tony swore to himself, he never should have mentioned Somalia; it was like a place of doom, it freaked people out. And it looked like it hadn't helped shut this woman up, just gave her more interrogation points. Damn it!

With an internal sigh, Tim nodded, feeling his control beginning to slip again. Why was she asking so many questions?

"And now the President called to thank you and you gave her the information."

Tim frowned: what was her point? He'd just been completing his work. He must have said that aloud because there were a few smiles on faces. Toni shook her head, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound so disbelieving but who are you? I thought you were this sweet man with the two lovely children who sold us the Buick. Then you turn up years later and offer us sanctuary. And you've done all these things. You're like James Bond!"

Tim gave a sardonic chuckle at the expression on DiNozzo's face. "Which one, ma'am? My brother Tony is partial to Sean Connery; my sister Kelly loves Daniel Craig in the role while I liked Pierce Brosnan."

She shook her head, "You're an enigma. Husband, father, son, brother, friend and genius who routinely helps the President."

"Not routinely, this is only the second time. And I'm not a genius, just good at math and science. Can't help what I was born with. Mrs. Ware, I don't mean to be rude but I really don't want to deal with your interrogation right now."

He wished she'd stop talking and leave him alone. He took Ellie's hand again and started forward, determined to go around or through the irritating woman.

Vance cleared his throat, "Third, Tim, counting the case here. And that's just this president. You bailed the White House out a couple of times during the last administration."

When Tim, Ellie, Jethro, and his own wife sent him incredulous looks, Leon shut up, wanting to bite his tongue off. He was proud of his agent and didn't mind bragging. But this hadn't been the time or place.

The Ware woman had her mouth open again, apparently ignoring what Tim said, following him as he moved to get away from her. Knowing his son was angry, upset, emotionally and physically exhausted and in as much shock as the rest of them, Jethro handed Brynie to Sarah and laid his hands on Tim's shoulders, using his thumbs to gently massage the back of his neck. He knew he couldn't speak; Pete would likely punch his lights out if he said what he wanted to the bitch.

When he saw that Ellie and Shannon were also too angry to be of much help and Barbara was comforting Lia, he sent Liz Crane a look pleading for help. She nodded, moving closer to intercept the irritating woman. "Mrs. Ware, Tim's had enough questions for now. He's exhausted, upset, in as much shock as the rest of us and now he is angry. This is not the time to interrogate him. As I said, we're all in shock and you've been quite rude to him."

The woman was instantly apologetic, babbling something but Tim ignored her, she reminded him too much of Abby in her manic moods. Relentless and unaware of anyone else's needs or wants. He wished Pete's wife had flown west when she'd had a chance. Or dug a hole in her backyard.

Still holding Ellie's hand, he looked for his baby daughter. Barb had her and handed her over with a smile. He smiled back and with Brynie and Ty, he, Ellie and the baby walked to the garden room for a little peace and quiet, shutting the door behind them. He felt like he was drunk or had been hit in the head. Everything was just cloudy and unreal.

The family was still in there when Rob entered, quietly taking Ellie and Tim's vitals. Ellie's blood pressure was up a little but not alarmingly so; her pulse rate was fine. Tim's pulse was also all right although his BP was far higher than usual. Knowing his brother was trying to calm down, Rob sat with them for several minutes before he used the BP monitor again. This time his brother's blood pressure was so close to Tim's normal readings that he tucked his equipment away. Brynie wanted to know what everything was so he explained and then told his brother and sister-in-law to get some rest.

Tim was exhausted, he'd been exhausted for weeks now and the shocks they'd all suffered plus that woman's incessant questioning had nearly sent him over the edge. He'd be all right now. But Ellie needed to lie down. The baby's heart rate was fine but this was too much stress for her. They couldn't help the bombing but she needed to stay away from that crazy woman and take it easy.

In the common area, Pete pulled his wife aside. "What is _wrong_ with you? Could you not see he's exhausted and suffering the same shock we are? And that was before taking on finding out who did this to us!"

She stared at him. "Why should he be any more tired than the rest of us?"

A furious Shannon was suddenly in front of her and let the woman have it. She spoke softly and intensely, telling the oblivious woman just why her son was so exhausted and then asked her what she'd been doing the past weeks, what had she done to help? After she told the woman to stay the hell away from her son and the rest of her family, Mac tapped her lightly on the back of her head, speaking so only she could hear. "Daughter, that's enough."

She immediately backed away, remembering what she'd learned in her anger management class. Jethro was there and the two of them walked off together, both of them fuming, exhausted and heartbroken.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This doesn't seem appropriate to the story but oh well...Happy Mother's Day!


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Wednesday, July 3rd, 2019

Afternoon and Evening

In the garden room, Ty had been quiet as he and Lia sat on their father's lap. He leaned into his dad's chest and Tim suddenly felt dampness on his shirt, his son was crying. Little Lia patted the back of her brother's head, saying his name and then did the same for Brynie who was sitting on Ellie's lap. Moving his head so he could see, Ty patted Lia and then reached over to squeeze Brynie's hand. She turned her head sideways on Mommy's shoulder so she could see. Tim wished his arms were long enough to wrap around all of them.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Brynie looked at her father, "Daddy, was that the bad thing you said was going to happen?"

"Yes Brynie, at least two bombs hit where we used to live."

"But that's a long way away, how come the ground shook and that noise? It hurt my ears. And it happened two times!"

"There are scientific reasons that I'll explain to you later, just because I'm too tired right now but for now I'll say they were very powerful bombs."

Ty's mouth tightened, "The President's going to catch those bad guys and Daddy helped again."

Ellie gave them a gentle smile, despite her own turbulent emotions, "Yes he did, kids, and yes, the bad guys will be caught. And you know what, Brynie, Tyler, and Lia Hope?"

They shook their heads.

"Lots of people will be looking for the bad guys. Not just our President. Our country has many friends, remember they helped move people to safety."

Brynie nodded. "The Queen of England sent planes!"

"Yes, planes and ships. And so did other countries. Now they'll help us find the bad guys."

They sat cuddling together for another half hour, the adults working to regain their composures. Shannon and Barbara came in to kiss each of them and took Lia who was starting to fuss. Finally, Ellie looked at her husband and children.

"Bombs or no bombs, I'm hungry! Little Mac wants to eat!"

The kids giggled and Tim smiled, he loved hearing them giggle. "All right, let's go fix some lunch."

When they walked out, they found people sitting at the various tables, eating sandwiches, with 2 cookies, carrot sticks and an apple sitting on each paper plate.

Elaine spotted them and hurried over. "We've got more sandwiches made. Why don't you sit down and we'll get you fed."

Ellie shook her head, "Elaine, thank you but we'll come get our lunch! And thank you for feeding this crowd. We need to figure out who does what so you two don't have to do all the cooking!"

The older woman nodded, "I had this conversation with Tim earlier. We don't mind sharing but we also love to cook. Now, I think all four doctors have told me you're to lay down after you eat." She smiled, pointing to empty seats. "Better grab 'em!"

Ellie and Brynie went to sit with Kelly, Mateo, Rob, Ali and Trish while Ty and Tim carefully brought their lunches over. Kelly hopped up to pour four cups of lemonade for them.

After they ate, Ty and Brynie held Lia's hands, walking her back to the nursery where they stayed to play with her. Tim offered to walk his wife to their room for a nap. She smiled, "That sounds so good honey, but I should be helping."

"Not today, sweetie. We're all stressed from the attack, the move and all the preparation. And you and the baby don't need any extra stress. Little Mac needs to grow big and strong and you need to be able to relax so he will. I promise we'll leave things for you to do and besides, you'll be giving our parents more time with their grandchildren!"

"All right, I am super tired."

"Then up we go, Eleanor Rose! Two hour minimum!"

As Ellie got up, she leaned over and kissed her husband. "Thanks, sweetie, love you!" He kissed her back and they cuddled for a couple of minutes. When they finally rose and walked away, her mother approached the table.

"Kelly, Rob, excuse me but is Ellie going to rest?"

"Hi Barb. Yes, she is, too much stress over the last few days, she needs to take it easy."

"Good! And I'm sure you two are keeping a good eye on her, thank you!"

Both smiled at her, "We're not expecting trouble but we do need to keep an eye on her and the baby."

"Thank you, Doctors."

Tim sat with his wife until she went to sleep. They had a little over three weeks to the completion of their second trimester, July 28th; they'd had the date circled on the calendar at home.

He closed his eyes in grief as he thought of their home and Dad's, the whole neighborhood, reduced to rubble or vaporized into nothingness. He remembered when Dad had been Boss and Gibbs' house was their safe haven. He'd only landed there once, after the debacle with Delilah but he'd needed safe and comfort so much that night. Gibbs' door was unlocked and the man provided the comfort so sorely needed.

Vaporized, blown up or burned, in any event it was gone, all of it. Home was here now, with each other. When his wife moved a little, he looked at his watch and saw it was nearly 1400. The bombs were dropped at 12:15 and 12:25 Mountain time. Almost two hours now since everything changed. He had a brief thought that going forward things would be remembered as happening 'Before' or 'After'.

He thought of trying to sleep but there was too much work to do. When Ellie rolled over to her side of the bed, he put his pillow close to her, quietly standing. They had a habit of leaving their pillows for the other one to hug when they left the bed. For two people with crazy hours, Tim's formerly crazy hours, pillow sharing provided a minor comfort.

Grabbing his shoes, he opened the door quietly and slipped out. Leaning against Ellie's dresser, he put his shoes back on, patting his hair into place. They really could use a mirror! Then he headed for the kitchen. People were sitting, on the couches, chairs, at the tables. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something. And then he realized it was the news. Wondering if radio waves had cleared enough for broadcasting, he looked around. Glad the Ware-witch was nowhere in sight and firmly telling himself to knock it off, he asked if the radios worked all right.

Uncle Jim replied, "Not yet but we're starting to get static, a good sign. Shouldn't be much longer."

His dad came into the area, now holding his favorite radio; evidently the trashcans had been unpacked. "I heard a word or two through the static."

Other people drifted in, pulling chairs over from the dining tables. Several minutes later, there were more words coming through the static and within another few minutes, the static was gone and they could clearly hear strings of words. By then everyone but Mrs. Ware, the still napping Ellie and babies had migrated to the common area. A familiar voice spoke:

"This is an emergency joint broadcast of U.S. and Canadian news agencies, simulcast on all North American networks in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Bermuda, the countries of Central America, the Caribbean nations and Greenland.

"The President of the United States of America has confirmed that two nuclear bombs struck Washington, D.C. at 2:15 and 2:25 Eastern Daylight Time today, July 3rd, 2019. Two additional missiles were brought down without incident over the Atlantic Ocean. More details are pouring in; we will bring you those as they are confirmed. The President and her cabinet survived the attack; they are sheltered at undisclosed locations.

"The devastation to the U.S. capital and the surrounding region is catastrophic. What we know so far: the blast zone reaches as far north as Harrisburg, the state capital of Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey, east to Delaware and Chesapeake Bay, which now covers what was Baltimore and other Maryland towns and cities, as far west as Canton in eastern Ohio, all the way across the northern counties of West Virginia. South it extends as far southwest as Lebanon and as far southeast as Portsmouth, both in Virginia. North Carolina reports they've lost vegetation, wildlife and buildings in the north of the state but no human casualties have been reported.

"We have reports that there are pockets in each of these regions that were not leveled but those have not yet identified or confirmed. For those of you in shelters in the areas directly affected, please continue to shelter and stay tuned in. We know you're there; we have satellite images of thousands of shelters. First responders will be to you as soon as they're allowed into the areas. We'll let you know as soon as we're given the information. Firestorms have been reported and fallout will affect all but the westernmost and northernmost parts of the North American continent. We're told that eventually it will be carried to every part of the planet.

"The White House, pardon me, the President's staff has not released the number of casualties, cautioning that it will take time to determine. This evening they were successful in obtaining aerial views from our satellites and high altitude drones in some of the affected areas. However, high radiation in the area prevents humans, electronic drones and robotic devices from entering the blast zone.

"If you have relatives or friends who were in the blast zone and who you do not know to be in shelter somewhere, please wait until cell service is restored and if you are still unable to reach their cell phones, then contact your local Red Cross and give them the names and last known location. We're told that if you reach their voice mail, then they're likely alive somewhere in shelter. While it will take time, more time than any of us wants, it is important that we know who may be missing.

"As to what entity unleashed this destruction on us, Presidential staff reports they have strong leads, thanks to our diligent federal agents. With the information calculated so far, our agencies are working with our allies to locate and apprehend our enemy.

"The entire United States, all states, territories, cities, towns, villages, outposts, is now under martial law. Curfew for those living outside of shelters is 9:00 PM local time. If you need to be out past curfew for your job or medical reasons, contact your local police department or nearest law enforcement entity.

"All commercial, private or charter flights into the country are canceled and all domestic and international flights are grounded until further notice. Amtrak other rail lines, bus lines, car and truck rental agencies have similar restrictions. Anyone left stranded should contact the Red Cross for assistance.

"For those of you in shelters east of Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Alberta and Saskatchewan provinces in Canada, remain inside until you're certain the local radiation level is at or below x-ray levels. We will do our best to update you on radiation levels.

"There is currently no cell service for either the U.S. or Canada east of Nevada, Alberta province or south of Saskatchewan province; cell providers are working to reroute signals to cell towers not affected by the attacks. Estimated time for that is 30 hours from now. Access to the internet is sporadic in those same areas, clearing that will be subject to the fallout from the attacks. While satellites remain intact, direct access is a problem. House phones, also known as landlines, are working. We will continue to update you.

"This just in…we've confirmed that the President will address the nation at 6:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time tomorrow, July 4th, 2019. We will, of course, broadcast it live.

"This concludes our broadcast; the next one will be at 5:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time. Godspeed."

There was silence after the radios were switched off and then people started to ask each other questions.

Matt Crane raised his hand, "What did they mean about the bombs they brought down without incident?"

His foster father gave him a grim smile, "That's good news, Matt; there was no loss of life or property from those bombs, they didn't go off. They will be examined for any clues as to their origins and then dismantled."

Grandpa Mac stood, looking at the group, "We're going to be sad and angry about this for a long time, the rest of my life and probably the rest of yours too. For today, I think we need to celebrate the survival of our families and friends, the capture of those two bombs and the survival of our country. We can and will rebuild; trees and flowers will eventually grow again. We can't replace people but we can celebrate those of us who are here now. And when we know who and how many we've lost, we will mourn them properly as a nation and as a family."

Elaine, Jacob, Shannon, Breena and Ned were already pulling cups and beverages out. "We need a toast, to the survival of the U.S.A. And to what Mac said."

Ellie opened their bedroom door and peeked out. Some people were crying; most were looking sad and angry but determined. She sighed as she slid in under her husband's arm. Giving her a hug, he asked, "Hi sweetie, did you have a good sleep? That wasn't two hours!"

"I know but I feel rested. I was asleep and then dreamed someone on a radio was talking about federal agents. I heard more talking so decided I'd better find out what's going on."

"Not a dream, unfortunately. Two bombs on DC; sounds like the devastation is as bad as we were afraid it would be. But Ellie, they stopped two other bombs, there were supposed to be four! Don't know if those had the same targets.

"The blast range extends from Harrisburg and Camden down to Portsmouth, west to Canton Ohio and southwest to Lebanon, southeast to Portsmouth. North Carolina suffered loss of wildlife, property damage but so far no humans.

"Canada's been affected too; except in the far west, there's no cell service in either country but fallout will hit everywhere. The White House, I guess we can't say that anymore, it's gone. Anyway, the President's staff is getting satellite imagery and reported thousands of shelters. Baltimore and that area is under Chesapeake Bay. Drones and robots aren't any good because the radiation fries the electronics. Have to wait for winds to clear some of it out for first responders to get in there. Cells are out for about 30 hours, landlines work. And yeah, they mentioned the leads I gave them but they didn't single me out or mention any names."

"If it gets out, we can all use Bishop until it's safe to be Gibbses again."

He nodded, "Good idea."

Ty and Bryn joined them and Tim and Brynie walked up to the new kitchen island, taking four cups of lemonade for the toast. When everyone had a beverage, Mac raised his glass, "To our families!"

There were echoes as people raised their cups in response and then had a sip.

Dave was next and he raised his glass, "To our nation, we will endure and we will thrive once again!"

They drank again and then two of the babies in the nursery cried out. Tim handed his cup to Tyler and headed for the nursery, he knew one of those cries very well.

The rest of that day was long, weird and unsettling; hours spent unpacking, organizing, stopping to listen to the radio for more news and then resuming working on the shelter. They got all the DVDs and VHS tapes unpacked, organized and shelved, which could probably be attributed more to people's need to focus on something besides the attack than any desire to watch a movie or TV show.

Tony remarked that when he wasn't doing something he wandered and noticed others doing that too. Brand new to living in a sealed concrete cave, they hadn't had a chance to settle in before the attack. The attack that, even while they packed up, leaving their lives and their homes, they didn't quite believe would really happen. But it did and for most of them the world turned upside down. At least their portion of it and for now they didn't know what else that might mean.

Here they were in a very strange environment, in an unfamiliar region of the country for all but a few, many of them having just completed a dizzying and exhausting 1900-mile race against an imminent threat. They were now living with a large number of people while the threat was carried out; their homes, neighborhoods, places of work, worship and play blown up, gone. The easiest thing to do was unpack, keep moving, keep busy, hold the shock, grief and anger at bay for a little while longer. Focus on what needed to be done and try, try, try – and fail - not to think about what just happened. Until they ran out of energy or things to do.

There was no routine established yet, nothing to which to cling. And aside from the physical activity, unpacking, organizing, no one was focusing much on anything. Basic needs; that was it. The doctors knew that people were in various stages of shock as they themselves were but the new reality was something they'd all have to learn to deal with. And right now, their new reality was living in the shelter.

The books were next and Jethro found it interesting, as he slit open yet another box of Ducky's books, that only those who liked to read showed up in the library to help, although he knew the other drivers were as tired as he was. He'd also noted that Pete's wife hadn't lifted a finger to help with anything. He'd seen her sidle from her room to the bathroom or kitchen once or twice but she hadn't done any unpacking or organizing. Pete had pitched right in helping with the canned goods and he was now shelving books. Jethro would give her today but if she didn't sign up to help with something, he thought someone should speak with her.

Which would also mean they'd need to decide how to run this place. A shelter council, akin to a city council, seemed best to him. That way no one person would be in charge and members could be elected, even rotate. He remembered Tim saying that if there were two strikes they'd probably be in the shelter for 12 to 16 weeks. The radiation might be low enough that they could risk being outside part of the day for the last couple of weeks but they'd need to eat the food they'd grow here or brought with them and drink the water in the tank, keeping their exposure to a minimum for as long as possible.

He wondered about that. The house was pretty well sealed, the windows were all new and he knew they were sealed well; he and his sons had put them in. He grinned inwardly at that, his sons. Even after three years, he got a thrill just thinking about his girls and boys. As far as the house, there might be some seepage of fallout material but overall it should be clean. He'd ask Tim when things calmed down a little.

He sighed, knowing he was being unfair to Pete's wife because he didn't like her. For all he knew, she had a headache or another health problem. Or she wasn't handling the stress of everything very well. That was probably it, after all she'd run out of here the first time she'd seen it, waited until the last minute to ask for help and then only after Pete called her several times from the road.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Luckily, Elaine and Jacob's basic needs meant food and while the 5:00 PM broadcast was airing, they got busy putting dinner together for their shelter mates. Knowing comfort food would be greatly appreciated and possibly the only food anyone would want to eat, they'd taken meat out of the freezer and once it thawed combined it with the meat brought from the Wares', the RV and the ranch kitchen. The combination was enough to feed everyone and Jacob threw in a few of his favorite ingredients to make several meatloaves, commonly seen as comfort food in the U.S. Meatloaf, fresh or frozen green peas and mashed potatoes were commonly viewed as the comfort meal of choice by many people. With no peas yet available, they wouldn't be ready to pick for a few weeks, tonight they'd have fresh vegetables from the Ware garden. Green beans, carrots, broccoli and green onions were cleaned, cut or sliced by Emily and Jared, then steamed to perfection. Several pounds of potatoes were boiled and mashed. Butter, margarine and a cholesterol free, dairy free butter substitute were placed on the island. Jacob and Elaine were used to cooking for nearly half this crowd and knew their dietary restrictions.

Tables and chairs were moved back out of the classroom and library into the dining area and with all of the tables cobbled together, the group sat down together to eat their first dinner in their temporary new home.

Before they joined the others, Tim and Ellie spent a few minutes in their room talking about Toni Ware. Jethro wasn't the only one who'd noticed she hadn't joined in anything and when Tim remembered her comment about being left alone, he mentioned it to Ellie and she thought about it. "Tim, what if she's not just claustrophic? She may also be uncomfortable around people, strangers."

"Huh, no wonder she didn't want to stay here! We need to leave her alone, fine by me!"

"The problem is if we leave her alone, people are going to think we're mad at her about all those questions. She may be uncomfortable around people but that doesn't mean she'll like being ostracized."

He sighed, "Ellie, I know I don't often say this about people, but I don't like her. She's too much like Abby in her manic moods without any of Abby's redeeming qualities. I really don't want to be around her. I'm tired and I'm afraid I'll lose my temper with her."

"I know, honey, although you were very diplomatic."

"Tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, you know? Until that interrogation and her little outburst to Pete after, yeah I heard Mom fuming about it. I don't want to be mean but I really don't want to be around her any more than I have to be."

"Maybe we ask someone else to sit by them. Denise Carter is pretty mellow."

"Good idea, Rick's really good at remaining calm."

Ellie opened their bedroom door and looked across at the tables. She was smiling when she turned around, "Problem solved; Aunt Cissy and Uncle John are sitting with them and the girls, Ali and Trish, are next to them."

The couple gathered baby Lia and reclaimed the two older children, who were hanging out with the Palmers, placing Lia's high chair next to Ricky's and grabbing plates and utensils, sat down with Ducky, Maisie, Jimmy, Breena, Victoria and Teddy. Breena's sister Colleen and her family joined them along with Ellie's brother John, his wife Jazzy and their kids. They were followed by Mateo and the Gibbs' siblings, Lu, the guys, Mel, Tobias, Emily and then Mac, Jethro and Shannon.

By the time everyone sat down, the Gibbs' extended clan filled two tables. Tim looked at his mom a little shyly, thanking her. Leaning over, she kissed him. "Anytime, sweetheart." His father put his hand out to ruffle his hair but rubbed the back of his neck instead. "How you doing, Timomine?"

"I'm all right, Dad. Tired, shocked, hurt and angry, like everyone else."

While the food was delicious, no one talked much, either too tired or just disinclined to say much.

When the kitchen was clean and the dishwasher running for the first time, Evan Fuller and his wife Mindy brought out their guitars and started playing. Lara, Jimmy, John, and Jazzy soon joined them. They played and sang, some folks joining in, for an hour or so, until it was the babies' bedtime.

Lia giggled as her mommy bathed her skin with the "NoAgua" lotion and the other parents of babies were happy their kids liked it too. The result of using the lotion was clean, smooth as silk skin.

Ty, Brynie, Victoria, Hannah, Teddy, Lissie Fuller, Matt and Chesnie Bishop were next to start yawning and their parents weren't far behind them. The overhead lights were dimmed while the floor and table lamps came to life. Tim and Ellie followed the kids to bed less than 30 minutes later. They intended to read for a few minutes but Ellie woke an hour later, moved their books to the floor and turned the light out.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Sheltered, Week 1 Post Attack, July 4th - 10th, 2019

That first day in the shelter came to a mercifully quiet close. A day, the President said, that would be forever engraved in their hearts, minds and national consciousness, along with December 7, 1941 and September 11, 2001. As expected, she said they wouldn't know the number of casualties for some time and reported that allies and even nations usually hostile to the U.S. were assisting in the search for the perpetrators.

Ducky wondered later if the attack had affected the thinking of leaders of those countries in possession of nuclear weapons, in particular those who had in the past threatened to use them. Threatening was one thing, carrying out the threat and living with the results would be a horrible responsibility.

Saying they needed to come together to mourn the as yet unknown casualties, the President declared Friday, July 5th, a national day of mourning and asked that everyone observe a moment of silence at 2:15 PM EDT, the time the first bomb struck. Except for necessary services, the nation would be closed. After her address, the broadcasters announced that a non-denominational service would be carried live via radio, streaming outlets and television networks, beginning at 2:20 PM EDT.

After the broadcast, a community meeting was called to determine how they could best observe the day of mourning. Prayers were a given and a few people volunteered to lead them. Music would be provided by their resident musicians.

When Kayla suggested they take some time to talk about their favorite places, including national treasures, the group agreed. While the loss of life was heinous and would always be with them, they'd also lost their homes, neighborhoods, everything but what they'd brought with them. Those losses were personal, their lives drastically altered. And as a people, as Americans, they'd lost the magnificent architecture, monuments, memorials and museums, all symbols of their nation and a vital part of the world capital Washington, D.C. had been. Buildings and symbols can be rebuilt, restored, re-fashioned and human beings were resilient. If they still breathed.

When Brynie asked again if all the horses had been saved, there were more stricken expressions, people thinking of the wildlife that had been killed. Ellie knew her friends with the stables had taken the horses to safety so she was able to answer her daughter but the rest of them thought about what else had been lost.

Sitting next to Tim, his sister-in-law muttered 'feral cats' under her breath and he nodded. Among her many talents, Bec was an animal activist and had fed, trapped, neutered and released many feral cats, working with several different animal rescue groups. Those cats were lost to human arrogance and cruelty, along with the squirrels, raccoons, opossums, red foxes and groundhogs that lived alongside humans in the metro DC area. And the birdlife, herons, blue jays, warblers, robins, wood thrush, all gone, although Tim hoped the birds might have had a fighting chance.

On Friday, the shelter and every other shelter, city and town in the U.S. stopped for the minute of silence and observed the national Day of Mourning. The residents of Rancho La Serenidad shelter met in the common area for prayers and then music, provided by the Fullers, Jimmy, John and Jazzy.

After that, they talked. In the beginning, they encouraged the children to say how they felt and that led to the adults also talking about their feelings and emotions. They segued to talking about what they'd liked best about their homes, neighborhoods, cities and towns. From there it was natural to mention their favorite 'national treasure' whether it was the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, the National Zoo, the Tidal Basin, the Vietnam Wall or one of the many other parks, monuments, memorials, museums and institutions that now lay in ruins or had been wiped off the face of the earth.

Shannon told them how she knew she was free again, when she and Kelly arrived in DC almost 3 years ago. They'd driven by the National Mall and several memorials; saw the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue. It was later a joy to take her grandchildren to several of the memorials, to see the buildings and statues through the eyes of young children.

Kelly remembered her first trip to the memorials as an adult with her newly discovered brother and sister-in-law. She estimated that her first year in DC, she'd spent at least two months experiencing the various museums of the Smithsonian. Smiling, she turned to Tim, "Tim was with me for several of those excursions."

Barbara and Jerry remembered their visit before Ellie and Tim's wedding and how exciting it was to be in the nation's capital and to see the things they'd always wanted to visit. Even Pete admitted he'd stayed over a few times, doing some sightseeing when delivering in the area. Jethro told the story of Mike Franks' friend Corporal Dan Casey, how his spot on the Wall was visited every year, even after Mike's death. Someone reminded him of the traveling Wall and that gave many of them some relief.

Mac remembered the favorite fishing spot on the Potomac he and Jethro visited before the latter's knee surgery, and how they'd had a family outing there the following spring, teaching the grandkids how to fish. And he spoke of his house on the beach, how he'd always wanted to live on a beach and for several years, he had lived on or close to two beaches. How wonderful it was the first time he met Tim, how they'd talked all day and only put their feet in the water shortly before his grandson had to leave.

That reminded several of them of the Fourth of July they'd spent on Grandpa Mac's beach, staying in the big Victorian across the street. How much fun they'd had and how, as Tony said, they really only needed the house to sleep in.

They discussed the meanings of the memorials, monuments, and museums. After talking about rebuilding each one, one of the kids suggested a museum that would feature virtual tours of what had been and why each had come to be. They talked about what they hoped would happen with the country, with everyone who was displaced and how those who hadn't been directly affected would deal with the changes.

Kayla later agreed that the day had been what she had in mind. They'd mourned their dead, celebrated their own survival and those of friends and family elsewhere, they'd talked about what happened and how they felt about it, talked about their favorite things and told some stories.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

By the end of the first week, they were organized and most people had established a routine. What Tim noticed and his medical sibling confirmed is that people stuck to what would be 'normal' routines for morning, afternoon and night despite the fact they were living several feet underground with no view of either the sun or moon.

Shannon had a pedometer and marked out an eighth, quarter, half, three-quarters and whole mile on the perimeter of the shelter, skirting around dressers and other items placed outside bedroom doors. Along with the fitness machines, walking became very popular. The media room was also in great demand in the evenings and Tony came up with great ideas for entertainment. He staged a marathon of a favorite TV show that was widely attended by young and old alike. After sorting through everything, the entertainment team realized they had a VHS tape or DVD of nearly all of the 500+ Disney movies, animated or live, ever made. They could play a different Disney movie or two every day. Many of the old classics and some of the newer ones were viewed for the first time by the kids, Mateo and the former camp kids.

Classes began the afternoon of their second day and were going well. One of the innovations necessary for their current style of living was to drop homework per se. Instead, students were assigned 'after school' work, which they did in the classroom at the end of the day. Another change was to move what passed for desks into groupings. The first graders, Brynie, Lissie Fuller, Hannah and Marta (Breena's niece) were grouped together with the second graders, Ty, Victoria, Matt Bishop, and Kenny (Breena's nephew) next to them. The middle schoolers, Adam Fuller, Chesnie Bishop and Callum Hubbard sat together with the high schoolers, Ethan, Nick and Kenna Bishop, Ainsley Hubbard and Matt Crane, next to them. The rest of the 'kids' were taking college classes.

While the children were in school, the babies took over the playroom and played happily with their toys and each other for hours. The day care providers had many ideas for baby and toddler activities and the little ones had fun learning every day.

At 4 ½, Teddy Palmer was in between the babies and the school kids; after experimenting a bit, the teachers and day care providers put together a pre-kindergarten routine for him, similar to what he'd had at home. He went to the classroom with his big sister for three hours every morning. In the afternoons, he napped with the younger children or played with one of his parents or grandparents and then joined the little ones in the playroom for day care.

Physical fitness classes were held with the children walking the perimeter, riding the stationary bikes or using the small trampoline the Hubbards brought. Larger than the toddler sized version Tim purchased years ago, it was an instant hit. During the last round of packing Tim threw in a stack of foam pads, the current replacements of those they'd brought home from New Mexico, and those were placed around the trampoline to cushion any falls.

When the children weren't using the fitness room, the adults were. The doctors mandated 30 minutes of exercise every day and although this wasn't mandatory, several people kept lists of what they'd done. After additional cork flooring was installed on the walking path, in the kitchen and common area, Jethro, Geordie, Maggie, Dave and Jim rotated calisthenics sessions every morning. Setting up a portable boxing ring in the fitness room, Leon taught the art of pugilism to the adults and those older children who had permission from their parents. All the federal agents, active and retired, also used the ring to spar and keep up their fighting skills. Leon was happy to see it, he hoped they'd come out of this in better shape than ever.

Charts were made of daily tasks and everyone but the babies had something to do every day toward maintaining their living quarters. Jacob and Elaine continued to cook although they had plenty of time off as Fornell, DiNozzo, John and Barbara Bishop, Shannon and Tim wanted to share cooking duties. With Italian dishes the specialty of both Tobias and Tony, their cooking rotations were always scheduled a few days apart. That first week, Jacob kept an eye on the other cooks who weren't always sure of the proportions needed to feed 84 people.

Along with maintaining their living space, classes for the kids, exercising and watching DVDs, there were plenty of other things to do. Shelves in the library held stacks of board games and 27 decks of cards. Lara Vance and Denise Carter held painting and drawing classes in the Garden Room using fabric, pieces of leftover prefab, even Gibbs' wood scraps, as 'canvas'. Those classes were held after school was out for the day so the children could attend if they wanted. Yoga classes and Pilates were held in the library or Garden Room, led by Trish and Ali Bishop and Liz Crane. To everyone's delight, Maisie and Ducky taught ballroom dancing while Tim and Ellie taught line dancing, with Ali helping with some of the dances. There were language lessons in ASL, Spanish, Russian, Italian and Tagalog, taught by Jethro, Jared and Jeff, Tony, Bob and Haley Chalmers, cooking lessons with the Rourkes, there was even a group looking for a short play to perform.

Liz Crane came up with an idea that soon proved wildly popular. She proposed that the people who inspired Gemcity's Deep Six characters, i.e., Jethro, Tony, Ellie, Ducky, Bob, Jimmy, Vance, Fornell and of course Tim, read and enact their lines of dialogue from the Deep Six books. Dave Crane had read the series several times and offered to narrate the text while the others assumed their characters' roles.

Although Tim was at first skeptical, the others agreed, looking forward to having some fun and his father finally convinced him that none of them planned any sort of revenge or acting out. Tim had his books on thumb drives; he printed out copies of each chapter of the first book and gave them to the others. They took a few days to read them through, rehearse with Dave and then had their first read the evening of Day Six.

Rick, Maggie, Ned and Evan joined them reading dialogue for villains, witnesses and unnamed agents although Tim confessed one particular unnamed agent was based on Balboa. Rick insisted on reading his part, to the great amusement of everyone who knew the man.

Their read was a smashing success and they had a great time. Kayla volunteered to read Abby/Amy's parts while Haley Chalmers read Ziva/Lisa's parts. Haley and Bob were half Filipino and the accent she came up with for Lisa would have been readily recognized in their hometown in the Philippines. As Tim said, Ziva/Lisa was a covert operative in Mossad; she could speak many languages and use many accents. There was no reason Tagalog shouldn't be one of them.

The audience was very appreciative, giving the characters and the narrator a standing ovation. And they had several questions afterward. One was about the case, how real it was. Tim shook his head, "Every chapter had to be approved by the Department of Defense before the book could be published. I couldn't use our cases so I invented new crimes and used bits and pieces of our real ones. Not the names and nothing classified, of course."

Tony looked at Tim. "The DoD, seriously? You never told us that! I thought you just wrote and published it. No wonder some of those seemed familiar!"

"Every book went to them for approval."

Tony and Jimmy had a quiet conversation about that news; they owed Tim huge apologies for their treatment of him regarding his books. It was no wonder he'd written several more without telling them. Gibbs, Ducky, Rick and Vance knew because they had them on automatic order at their favorite booksellers but they'd kept their mouths shut.

Toni Ware raised her hand, "What's the DoD?"

In unison, the federal agents answered her, "Department of Defense."

"Oh, do they oversee NCIS?"

Tim answered, "NCIS reports to the Secretary of the Navy who reports to the Secretary of Defense, so yes. When I had a publisher for this first book, I asked our then director if it should be vetted, that is scrutinized, by someone at NCIS or the Department of the Navy. He thought that was a good idea and mentioned it to his boss, the Secretary of the Navy. Two weeks later I had an e-mail from someone at the Department of Defense saying they'd be vetting my book." He smiled, "It's fun because it's someone different every time and I get to have them sign a non-disclosure agreement."

To the blank faces he explained, "At our level and with what we do, we constantly have to sign those. So it's a kick to have them sign them."

Tony snorted, "Payback, baby!"

While they were making the best of their time in the shelter, no one forgot why they were there. They continued to listen to the radio for the news; although there was cell service it was sporadic for much of the country. They'd been asked to refrain from anything but emergency use as the shelters in and around the blast zone were still being identified and accessed by Emergency Personnel using cells and thermal imaging.

Thousands of people in the affected regions chose to build their own shelters despite warnings they were too close to what was expected to be the target area. So far, the only ones found alive were fifty miles from the strike zones. There didn't seem to be any middle ground, you lived or you died. Emergency workers reported the few injured people they found resulted from accidents in the shelters, there were no survivors of flash burns or radiation poisoning. How those who survived at the fifty-mile mark would fare over time remained to be seen.

The newscasts continued to give them specific news by state, province and region; one of the things shelter residents learned was that even 1900 miles distant from the blast zone, radiation levels in New Mexico were still too high to risk outdoor exposure. They knew there had been black rain on the East Coast and that radioactive fallout, all the soot, pollution, particles from the explosion and other matter that was now in the atmosphere, was moving in some very strange patterns. On any given newscast, there would be warnings for residents of specific counties, towns or cities, in the U.S., Canada and twice in Mexico, to shelter inside for a certain number of hours or days. The teachers hung a huge map of the North American continent in the common area so that when the news was airing, people could better visualize where things were happening.

On the third day post attack, Tim was in the library working on his laptop, writing his daily chronicles, much as he had while in WITSEC. His laptop suddenly peeped as it found an internet connection. They'd left the router on in the ranch house and now he had Wifi. He quickly sent e-mails to Secretary Porter, Abby, Dallas, Jim O'Brien and the Rourkes' daughter that they were all well. The connection was lost within minutes and he was glad he hadn't bothered to tell anyone here.

Four days after the Deep Six reading, their phone rang. Pete Ware was sitting next to it, reading an old magazine and nearly fell out of his chair when it rang. He answered, "Hello?"

"Is this Gibbs' shelter?"

"Yes it is; who would you like to speak with?"

"Gibbs, please."

"Which one?"

"Gibbs! My silver fox. El jefe."

"Do you mean Jethro?"

"Of course."

"Hang on, might take a while to find him."

He shook his head as he put the receiver down and went looking for Jethro. He finally found him in the tunnel working on the shelves he was making. He'd finished and installed 10 of them, had another 5 cut and was working on the last few boards.

"Hey Jethro, someone on the phone for you."

Looking surprised, Jethro followed him back inside the shelter proper. Picking up the receiver, he shrugged, saying, "This is Jethro Gibbs."

He held the phone away from his ear as a voice screeched at him, "Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!"

Pete, who'd taken his seat again, winced at the sound, got up and with an eye roll at his friend, moved away.

"Abby, just say hello next time. I think I've just lost the hearing in my left ear."

When she started making loud noises again, he banged the receiver on the table. "Ow Gibbs, that hurt."

"And your screeching hurt me. A guy sitting five feet away from me got up and left because of the noise. Now, how are you and where are you?"

"I'm fine. Kyle and I are at the border in Tijuana, on our way to San Diego."

"What happened to Belize?"

"The country was nice, beautiful, but Luka and his ex-wife did nothing but fight the whole time. It was awful. She left with my niece and Luka went after them so Kyle and I decided to come home. Leon's contacts helped us buy a car and arranged for safe passage for us through Mexico. We'll find a place to stay in San Diego. We never should have left the U.S."

"It's what you did to stay with your family, Abby, nothing wrong with that. Maybe not too pleasant but not wrong. You know, if you call in at the San Diego office they might put you back to work."

"That would be wonderful! You know anyone there?"

"No but their boss, our boss, is right here, hang on."

When Pete took his magazine into the library, Leon, Tim and Tony were in there talking about something, kids, he thought. "Mind if I hang out in here? Jethro's on the phone with someone who screeches so loud I heard her five feet away."

To his surprise, the three grinned and nearly ran out of the room. He chuckled; it must be someone they cared about despite the screeching.

Now Leon took the receiver from Jethro who smiled at him, holding his ears. His former boss thought quickly, "Hello Abby, please speak quietly, the babies are napping nearby."

"All right. Hello Leon! Gibbs says I should talk to you about working in San Diego. Kyle and I are at the border now; we should be through in about 30 minutes."

"You're at the U.S. border?"

"Yes and thanks so much for that contact information you gave me. They helped us buy a car in Belize and arranged for safe passage through Mexico. We decided we didn't want to know how."

"Good decision. Yes, when you get into San Diego, the office is on the outskirts, on the Del Mar side of the city."

"Here, better tell Kyle, he's better at directions than I am."

"Hello?"

"Uh yes, Kyle, this is Leon Vance. I was giving your sister directions to the office in San Diego."

"She's right, better tell me."

Vance gave him the directions and with the phone back in Abby's hands, added the name of the person they should ask for at the office. "If they have any questions, call me at this number."

"Thank you!"

"Also, tell them I said, you know what, I'll call them after we hang up."

"Ok. Tell McGee, Tony, and Ellie hello for me. Who else is with you?"

With a smile, Leon handed the phone to Tim. "Hi Abby, this is Tim."

He smiled as he heard the tears in her voice, "We're all right, Abby, promise!"

"Who all ended up with you?"

"Tony, Maggie, Evan, Rick, Bob, and Ned. Oh, Bob and Sarah got married right before we left, as did Geordie and Bec. And Elaine and Jacob are here with us, there wasn't enough time for them to drive to Oregon."

"Did everyone make it out?"

"Yes, Leon made sure of that. Here, Tony wants to say hi."

He handed the receiver to Tony who was grinning ear to ear. "Abby, how are you?"

He held the phone away from his ear and finally interrupted her,

"Abby, please use your indoor voice, the babies are sleeping."

"Oh, I thought Leon was just saying that."

"No, oh you don't know about all of them. We took in six foster kids who needed homes. Maggie and I have a two-year-old boy and the Vances have 18-month-old twins. People you haven't met yet took the other kids. And you do know Ricky Palmer and Tim and Ellie's daughter Lia."

"I forgot there were kids and now there's more. Huh. So I guess you can't come visit."

"We'll be working from here once we have reliable internet."

"But after you're out of the shelter?"

"Don't know. Maggie's dad is with us too."

"Man, you're as bad as McGee getting yourself tied down. Marriage, in-law living in and now kids. Never thought I'd see the day, Tony; I always thought we were alike, players with no use for cages. Guess I was wrong. Wow."

Tony held the phone out and looked at it. Seeing his anger, Gibbs took the phone. "Hey Abs me again. Let us know how you do in San Diego. Have to go now."

He hung up and looked at Tony who was visibly fuming.

"Should I even ask?"

"She said she'd forgotten there were kids and then when I told her about Arin and the other kids; she said I was as bad as Tim getting myself tied down. Only she said McGee, not Tim. Said she thought she and I were alike, players with no use for cages."

"Ouch!"

Tim just rolled his eyes. "She doesn't understand us or anyone else wanting partners and children, Tony, and I guess forgot about you and Maggie. Abby doesn't understand commitment for one thing, doesn't believe in it."

Leon's eyebrows flew up, "She _what?_ "

"Doesn't believe in commitment. To her, dating the same person for more than a couple of weeks is a major risk."

"Is that what happened to that park ranger a few years ago?"

Tony and Jethro looked ashamed, "Tim was right; she dumped him when he asked her to go to a play with him two weeks in advance. She freaked out."

"Wow." He turned to Gibbs, "She'll be working with other techs in San Diego."

Gibbs shook his head, "That's not going to work, Leon. I'm fond of her but she'll be crying on our shoulders, mine, Tim's and Tony's, all day long. She doesn't work well with others. Field agents and medical examiners are fine, she likes being part of that kind of team. But not people who are doing the same thing she is and surrounding her, using her machines."

Tim shook his head, "I'm done with all that, Dad. I'm fond of her too but Ellie and I already have children, we don't need Abby."

Tony nodded, "I have to say I haven't missed that at all and Tim's right, I'd rather deal with my two-year old."

Leon frowned, "All right. I'd better call the office. Don't know what I'm going to say but I did promise to call."

The three men left him to his call. As they walked away Tim said, "I don't want her to feel like we've deserted her but it feels more like she's left us. We've moved on in many ways and she's still back in 2015, in the land of denial. Part of the problem is our fault, all of us. She was part of the family, our pre-kids, pre-Dad family and she didn't make the trip with the rest of us to what we are now. I'll admit I didn't try as hard as I could have to help her."

His father shook his head, "Not your fault, Timothy, nor yours, Anthony. If anyone's, it's mine and Ducky's. I was afraid she'd have a hard time with our relationship but I never thought she'd continue reacting as she has. I hoped when she started to heal after Shannon and Kelly's return that she would become part of the family again but she's put more distance between us."

Tony looked at Tim and the two held a silent argument that Tony won. "Dad…I know I don't often call you that but I will now because this is a family situation. This isn't about you or any of the rest of us anymore. We tried our best to include her, to make her feel wanted; we let her know in many ways that we wanted her to be part of the family. But she'll never hold center court with you again and she knows that, or knew it, she appears to have forgotten right now. Anyway, I think this is about her inability to accept any sort of change to her perceptions, her routine - her universe.

"It started before Ty and Brynie; it started when you finally noticed Tim needed you, after Somalia. You confronted her then, tried to work it out and she clung to you. But if she can't be the center of attention, specifically your attention, then she's not interested, she doesn't share. From her comments today, she'd blocked out the children and I bet that if I'd pressed, she would have had the same reaction to my marriage to Maggie. Blocked it. Although she did mention it in general.

"She's passed on many attempts we've made to include her. Do you remember that first Fourth of July in Fenwick with Mac? She suddenly decided to go to New Orleans. Other times, dinners, celebrations, she's had plans with the nuns or her brother. She even found a way to avoid sheltering with us although I guess that's not fair, even Kyle said it was Luka's decision. She's made zero effort, kept herself uninvolved. Even when she does join in she makes a scene about something, comes late or leaves early. Except when she needs help or comfort, like now; then she expects you to drop everything and rush to her side like you used to."

They were walking on the cork path around the perimeter and Jethro was quiet, thinking. Finally he sighed, "You're right, Tony. I know we've made every effort to bring her into the family. Now it seems she's blocked the existence of our family and that really bothers me. She's had professional help and if that hasn't made any difference, I don't know what else to do."

They walked back around to the common area, noticing Leon talking with Ned and Barry; looked like he still hadn't made his call.

Moving back to the current situation, Tim said, "Maybe she won't take the job."

"She might not if she can't have a lab to herself. And none of us will be there to deal with her, not sure how long she'd last."

Gibbs just nodded. "There must be city, county, state, even independent labs she could work in. Heck, the FBI would love to have her jump ship. But they have multiple techs too."

"If she had enough funding she could start a lab of her own. Cost a fortune though. Or she could teach as she did when we were here before."

"Probably a better idea."

Leon was back at the phone now, punching in numbers. Tony quickly wrote a note about Abby teaching and stuck it under Leon's nose just as he was saying hello to whoever answered.

His whole face brightened as he explained why he was calling. After some back and forth, he said, "Lydia, if she resists working with the others, refer her to Hetty Lange. She and Dr. Sciuto worked successfully together on a project a few years back. In fact why don't you talk with Hetty first; she may well have other ideas, perhaps the two of you could speak with her together. Dr. Sciuto is one of the top 10 forensic scientists in the country, I'd like to offer her solid choices, keep her at the agency."

He eventually disconnected and thanked the trio for the save. "She did a great job teaching 4 years ago and she loved it. It'd give her a different focus and put her in touch with all kinds of folks who might need her talents. The only other thing I can think of is having her work the graveyard shift by herself."

Tim thought about the shifts his brother and sister worked. "What if wasn't exactly graveyard, at least not all night? Two shifts, say a day shift from 0700 to 1500 and then a PM shift from 1500 to 2300. Have the others work the day shift and she takes the evening shift."

His father tilted his head in approval, "She often ends up working at least that late anyway. And it would help the teams."

Leon nodded. "How's the internet today? I'd rather send an e-mail with a proposal and let Lydia decide whether it's feasible. I wish we'd done that in DC; we could have had two techs working separately."

Tony shook his head, "Not unless she had some say in hiring the other tech."

Tim looked at his phone. "We're up right now. No telling how long though."

Leon grabbed his phone and sent the multiple shift proposal to the SSAIC in San Diego. While he did that, Tim and Tony checked their e-mail. Tony shook his head, "Finally got a response from Senior. I sent him a text that we were all right. That's been how many days? And his response is, 'Good'. We decided not to tell him about Arin, why bother?"

Jethro squeezed his shoulder but didn't say anything and Tony smiled. He was fine being Gibbs' unofficial son but sometimes wondered what would happen if he agreed to the adoption and just never told Senior.

Tim was wading through his e-mail and smiled when he found one from Penny. "She's in San Francisco! Caught a humanitarian flight from Melbourne and landed there. She's staying with friends and will join us as soon as it's safe." He chuckled, "That'll be fun, meeting Sarah's McGee grandmother."

"At least it's not the other one!"

"Yeah, has anyone checked on the evacuations of the prisons?"

Leon had joined them again and all three men shook their heads. Dad said, "Don't want to know."

Tim was now scrolling through his work e-mail and chuckled, "Leon, I'll take this as a vote of confidence. I have two new cases in my Inbox for my team. I'll get them assigned in a minute, need to see where…" He smiled, "Dallas gets this one and the other one originated in Chicago but Great Lakes is apparently still without internet capability, so I'll send it to Lynn in Seattle."

He grinned as he assigned both cases. "Feels good to work again."

Leon nodded at him, "Feel free to work, remember we have plenty of paperwork we downloaded to do while we're in shelter. I'll let HR know our agents in Albuquerque are up and running. We can't get out to the field but we can do paperwork, run searches and backgrounds for the other offices when the internet is available. Huh, did I just make us an office?"

The others laughed. The other NCIS'ers had joined them and Maggie tilted her head. "You're the director; you're here, sounds like an office to me, with 8 agents and one Medical Examiner reporting to you."

Jimmy nodded; he'd been thinking about this, "I can examine cold case autopsy reports."

"Excellent, we're back in business. Gibbs, how many devices is your router set for?"

Tim smiled, "I boosted it after I installed the 2nd industrial surge protector to the house electrical system. We can run 20 devices. I've got it set for 25 but I have 5 security cameras outside the house and shelter also using the WiFi. For our purposes, I'd say 12 laptops and 3 printers. Although if we hardline the printers to laptops, that will free up more of the WiFi capacity for our students."

"It only takes a few minutes to bring printers up and they do need electricity so let's leave them off unless absolutely necessary and yes, if you need to use a printer, hardline it to a laptop. Will charging the laptops be too much of a drain on our power?"

"I don't think so. So far, we're doing all right. The big appliances use most of the power but the fuel level on the generator hasn't budged off the full mark yet so the solar panels must be doing their work. Even if they fail, we have many cases of vegetable oil for the generators. From the reports I've been seeing online, we'll probably be able to spend a few hours outside of the shelter each day in about 12 weeks. We'll limit our exposure but that means hours the TVs and DVDs won't be on and we can work in the house off those solar panels. We'll also acquire more fuel and water if we need them. We can always order from Amazon, they have distribution centers all over the West Coast. It'll be interesting to see how they deliver!"

They chuckled at that, knowing how much Tim had ordered from Amazon for the shelter. He said when the internet was more reliable and he wasn't busy he was going to write reviews for all of it. From inside their underground concrete home.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Sheltered, Weeks 2 - 7 Post Attack, July 11th - Aug. 21st, 2019

Their second week was a little easier, a little brighter. They had more e-mails and calls from the outside and Leon gathered the agents, Jimmy, Jethro, Ducky and Tobias around the phone one afternoon when his boss called.

"Secretary Porter, it's good to hear your voice. You're on speaker."

"Good to hear you too, Leon, I'm so grateful you're safe! Who's on with us?"

"Seven of our field agents, my CCU manager and Chief Medical Examiner of our new Albuquerque office, Ma'am. And three retirees."

"Oh wonderful! Then the internet is working?"

"Sporadically but it seems to be available for longer every day. We're doing searches, paperwork, reviewing cold cases and anything else we can do to help the case load for the field agents."

"Great, I'm proud of you all! Megan and I are in San Diego hanging out with the U.S. Navy; we stayed here with her paternal grandparents during the attack instead of leaving the mainland to visit my cousin. That just didn't feel right. We saw Abby Sciuto and her brother yesterday. She's starting work at the lab tomorrow; she'll be working an evening shift by herself. I understand the idea for that came from someone in Albuquerque."

"Yes Ma'am, we were concerned she not be overly stressed working with strangers and that idea evolved."

"I see. How are you all holding up? I have to say I can't imagine any of you twiddling your thumbs when the internet is down."

Rick smiled and Leon motioned him forward. "Secretary Porter, this is Special Agent Rick Carter. We downloaded case files before we left DC so we have those to work on. We also have all kinds of activities going on here. Along with a fitness center, we have a walking path and Director Vance has been teaching some of us how to box. We're keeping up with our physical fitness, learning new languages, playing chess and checkers, having dance lessons, learning how to play bridge, doing our part with childcare and several other activities. There's a task list for daily maintenance and we each have assignments.

"Fornell, Tim Gibbs and DiNozzo have been rotating cooking duties too although the Rourkes' from Elaine's diner ended up staying here and they've been cooking for us. Jethro has a workbench out in the tunnel and he's making shelves for our bedrooms, he's almost done now. Tim and some of us have been helping in the classroom; Tim's teaching high school and college level math and helping the kids and the rest of us understand what happened when the bombs hit. Bob Chalmers and his sister did a guest stint talking about the Philippines where they're from and DiNozzo talked about Italy. We have a young man with us who was one semester shy of finishing his prelaw undergrad work at GW and we have an attorney sheltering with us so she's working with him to complete his course work. He'll have to do it over when we're released but he'll have a leg up when it comes to applying to law schools."

"That's amazing, so you're tailoring, or the instructors are tailoring classes for the students' needs?"

"The older ones, yes, ma'am. Besides our future lawyer, we have four other college students and they're studying in their selected fields. We were able to get study material and syllabi for almost everyone before we left DC. With the addition of the foster kids, we have three high school students, four middle school, four in the second grade, four in first and one preschooler. And five babies."

"Agent Carter, are those foster children new?"

Rick looked at Tim who quirked his mouth and stepped forward. "Hello Ma'am, Tim Gibbs here. Four days before we left, the woman who's been our liaison with Child Protective Services called me, frantic. They'd evac'd all of the foster families in their jurisdiction but they had six children at the group home with nobody to shelter them. She was prepared to take them to Nebraska with her but hoped we could help. I put the word out and my godparents now have two teenagers, my uncle and aunt took in a 6-year-old girl, the DiNozzos now have a two-year-old son and the Vances now have four kids, they took in 18-month-old twins."

"Oh my heavens! You're angels, all of you, to do that! Leon, babies?"

"Yes ma'am! Zach and Zoey, beautiful children with big smiles and very healthy lungs."

She chuckled at that. "Do the children have separate rooms or do you have family rooms?"

Vance explained the rooms, finishing with "By parental decree, mine, there's a bathroom in between the teen girls and the teen boys with Dr. Mallard, Colonel Barnes and Mac Fielding, grandfather of the Gibbs' clan, sleeping nearby. Agent Bishop's aunt and uncle have their room on one side of the teen boys' room, they wear hearing aids and take them off at night so that serves two purposes. One, they can't hear the kids and two, if there's an alarm, the kids will wake them.

"We have a Garden room, which we're using to grow our own crops, get some Vitamin D under a modified grow light, mediate and practice yoga. The kids also have a playroom and use some of the fitness equipment. And of course, the pet shelter for the cats and dogs. The fish, turtles and birds live in our shelter. So far we're doing all right."

"I know I had nothing to do with it but I am so proud of all of you, well done!"

Tim shook his head, "Ma'am that's not true, you had everything to do with us being here. The day I advised you to leave town as soon as possible you gave me permission to tell my family and friends and to leave when I felt we should. And we did. We would still have left but I would have had to waste a lot of time being stealthy about it."

"We had no choice, Timothy."

"No ma'am."

"You'll hear soon enough but the news from the strike zone is grim. It's now believed that no one less than fifty miles of the impact zones survived the blast. The best guesstimate at this time is over a hundred thousand dead within the strike zones – DC, Arlington, and Alexandria and well, you know the names. The Census Bureau, Department of Labor, District, Maryland and Virginia Departments of Motor Vehicles and the IRS are working nonstop together to identify addresses and how many residents there should have been. Thank God for electronic records but it still takes time to do the searches.

"Tomorrow there will be a request going out for all those who were evacuated from within that zone and that includes me and most of you to call toll free numbers they're setting up by region, to report in with your name, address, number of residents and where you are sheltering - and current contact information. The radiation levels are so high the emergency workers can't be in the field more than two hours at a time. They sent them all out at once the first day and had to pull them back. They'll start again, this time in shifts, tomorrow."

Jethro, who'd remained with the others, frowned when he saw his son's face go blank, knowing he was mentally thinking about or actually writing a program to help the searches. Part of him, the concerned and worried father, wished Tim would let others do the work but the pragmatic agent and proud papa parts of him knew his son could do whatever it was quicker and more efficiently.

After the call, Tim stayed to talk with his boss. "Leon, they shouldn't need to do any crosschecking. The federal agencies have access to all databases, all they have to do is use the software I…we implemented five years ago and it'll do the sorting and searching for them. And weren't the evacuation records taken on tablets and smart phones? We registered with an Evac coordinator as we were leaving Saturday morning and that was on a tablet."

"Yes, and you're right, Gibbs, I forgot about that."

"I can write the code and implement it from here if the internet cooperates. It'll take just a few minutes to update the servers and then the program will find the information for them. It might come up with duplicates but it'll tag those and they can eliminate the ones that are truly double reported."

"All right, get busy with the code and - who do you usually have check it?"

"Ellie, Abby, then the CCU. Dallas, Lynn or Brady, sometimes all three."

"Ok, get your code written and I'll call SecNav back, let her know we can help. I'll stand in for Abby."

Tim nodded and grabbing his laptop, went into the library and shut the door. Jethro frowned again, while he was happy his genius son could help, he worried about his emotional health, he was far too involved with all this for his liking. He relaxed when Tim emerged from the library 90 minutes later, handing a thumb drive to Leon who plugged it into his laptop and studied it, line by line. Ellie sat at another table with another thumb drive, doing the same thing. When they both gave their approval, Tim had them sign something and then called his team. They downloaded the code and in another hour, Tim had their approvals. His code was good to go.

Leon took the thumb drive, "All right, SecNav gave me the name of the person who's handling this, let's send it on to him."

Tim twisted his lips, almost reluctant to say what he was about to say, "Leon, I can do it faster. I will pull the report, remove the duplicate records, and send the whole thing faster than they'll download it. They'll want to examine the code themselves even with the testing and approvals."

"You're right and you have my permission and Secretary Porter's." He gave him a half smile, "I knew you'd want to run this yourself. How long have we worked together?"

Tim didn't bother taking the time to roll his eyes at him although he wanted to. He returned to the library, Ellie and Leon following him with their own laptops. Between them, they found the database with the evacuation records. At some point Leon remembered to tell him that Secretary Porter had given permission for access to any database necessary for his work.

Tim set his program up, adding the evacuation database as a compare once the initial report was complete. The program took three and a half hours to run and Leon asked everyone else in the shelter to stay off the internet while it processed. When asked, Tyler brought the power cord for his father's laptop and Leon plugged it in. He had no idea when his agent's laptop had last been charged and wasn't willing to take any chances.

They waited and waited. And waited. Finally, the screen displayed a blinking message, the initial report was complete, the names and addresses had been compiled and duplicates had been tagged. The duplicates were copied to another file and the program was modified to ignore them on its next task, comparing the report against the evacuation records. Partial/incomplete matches would be sorted to appear separately. Tim first downloaded the entire report onto thumb drives so he'd have a backup. He'd used another username, a Vance-approved alias, when logging in and creating the report, hoping they wouldn't bother tracing it back to him. He was willing to do the work but hoped for anonymity.

The process took another three hours; by the time it finished, dinner was done, the babies and younger kids taken through their night time routine. Ned stayed with the laptops while the Gibbses and Vances saw to their children. He'd originally brought dinner in for them and stayed, occasionally bringing in water or coffee.

Tim, Ellie and Leon had been back in the library for nearly 30 minutes when the compare program finished. Tim peeked at the numbers with no matches to the evacuation program: 77,942. Now the group actually tasked with the count had definitive information to work with and no matter what, it was less than the guesstimated hundred thousand. They'd have to wait for the call-ins to be complete and compare them against the names and addresses of the 77,942. But if the calls were electronically recorded, they could run this again, substituting the call-in database for the evacuation database.

As she'd requested, Leon called Secretary Porter and she contacted the Cabinet member tasked with the gruesome duty. With Leon on the call and Tim waiting nearby, she explained what NCIS had accomplished, making sure she didn't mention Tim's name per his request. The Cabinet Secretary had her Team Leader on the phone with them in seconds and there were small smiles at the huge sigh of relief the man exhaled. He asked a few questions, with Leon answering them, and confirmed that the calls would be electronically recorded. Then they waited while the program and the reports were sent to the Secretaries and the Team Leader. When they confirmed they had the report, the Cabinet Secretary again thanked them profusely.

After they ended the call with the SecNav, Tim and Ellie collapsed into bed, happy with the work but mentally and emotionally worn out and horrified at the number of fatalities. A long sleep helped. When they woke, they found their children up, dressed and fed with the older two already in class. After thanking their parents, they ate the breakfast kept warm for them in the oven. Ellie sipped the herbal tea that helped with her morning sickness while Tim inhaled his first cup of coffee and relaxed over the second one.

Grabbing their laptops, they found their co-workers in the library. When they'd started back to work, the agents realized they needed a private work space. While the library wasn't always occupied, Ducky and Col. Barnes spent a few hours in there every day. That made things a little easier as Ducky still had his security clearances and Leon was reassured by the Colonel that he could also be trusted. To be thorough in these unusual circumstances, Leon ran it by Secretary Porter who agreed with his assessment. Colonel Barnes would keep anything he heard or saw to himself.

Now the 7 field agents, Tim, Jimmy, their laptops, phones and occasionally their boss crammed into the library. They had the library tables first used in the classroom and that helped, although phone work was dicey and they had to be innovative. Jethro was through with his shelf work and the tunnels soon became their private call area along with the bathrooms and their own bedrooms. Which weren't very private but it was the best they could do.

When Leon opened his e-mail that morning, the day after Tim's work for the casualty figures, he held back a sigh. There were two messages he thought would have complaints in them, probably veiled as questions, from his supervisory senior agents in San Diego and Seattle. He hadn't given a second thought to Tim sending his code to three of his former staff to beta, but he should have. The agency had transferred Tim's staff, they now reported to their local management, not to Timothy Gibbs. Although with Dallas Smits managing the San Diego CCU, he thought it wouldn't have been as much of a problem as it might have been for Camarillo in Seattle. As Director, he should have at least given his SSAICs in San Diego and Seattle a heads-up beforehand. He'd given Tim permission; it was on him. He guessed it would take some getting used to, working remotely.

He read the e-mails and smiled, both were pleased their staff contributed. He got the message though. No doubt, the two discussed it, deciding to be positive, knowing he'd figure out the subtext.

He thought about that. While the 7 field agents would continue working on paperwork, doing any electronic searches needed by other teams and on cold cases, Tim's time would be better spent doing what he'd been doing before all this started. It would mean some maneuvering but when they'd transferred Tim's people, they'd done it to keep them safe. Neither he nor Tim had considered to whom the cyber techs would report After.

It would also give Tim more opportunities to further assist in special projects which Leon foresaw heading his way from the president, various Cabinet members and the SecNav. He thought his agent would be fine with that, as long as he didn't have to leave the agency or travel anywhere, even after it was safe to move around the country. Leon would emphasize that with Secretary Porter; he was confident she'd support them all the way up the food chain. Although he could be wrong, the younger Gibbs could very well be interested in a career change.

His decision made, he punched numbers on his cell and flipping on the overhead light saw that no one else was in the tunnel. He spoke with his Seattle management, first apologizing for his oversight the previous day, which was gracefully accepted. His senior agent in charge admitted she had been more than happy to take several techs under her roof, so to speak, but she knew her CCU manager would be happy if they reverted to Tim's management. Her staffing was 98% before Tim's team members arrived and although they'd managed, it was proving to be a struggle for her. To Vance's relief, both Melankovic and Camarillo were fine with them remaining physically situated in Seattle while reporting to Tim.

One down, one to go, he called Lydia Worden, his SSAIC in San Diego and was happy with that outcome too. Communication with Galveston and Great Lakes was still intermittent so he left them for later. He wasn't worried about the reactions as Galveston was a very small office, the agents were really only there to shelter and Great Lakes a very large one. Vance thought one would probably be overwhelmed with the number of bodies in the office once they left their shelters and the other one might not have noticed there were more bodies with them. When it was safe, the CCU members in Galveston could move here.

Tim's smile brightened up the whole shelter when Vance told him some of his staff would resume reporting to him, albeit remotely, effective the following day. "Thank you! I realized this morning that I should have asked for their time yesterday. Director, this is wonderful, thank you!"

"That was my responsibility and I've cleared it up with Jane and Lydia. And Seattle is fine with your team reporting to you again while continuing to house them."

Tim nodded. "Great, I'll arrange for a Skype meeting tomorrow morning. Leon, do you know yet what we're going to do or where we're going once we're free of the shelter?"

"Not sure yet, love to hear any ideas. Unless you have plans to build an office building on the ranch, I think we can rule out the Gibbs' family property."

"But will we stay in Albuquerque?"

"Don't know. As you know FLETC has a location in New Mexico, in Artesia, we can open an office there I suppose. You can remote in while the field agents, well, we'll see. But we will have to establish a new headquarters somewhere. Don't forget we've also lost Quantico and I hear Parris Island is not in great shape. And the Navy - we'll see where the Secretary wants us. It's going to take a while; I think we'll be just fine here in Albuquerque for the near future. Who knows, we may end up sharing office space with your friends the Marshals."

He walked away, leaving Tim standing there blinking in surprise. Work in that building? How strange. At least it had the pool, fitness center and the rooftop garden. He went back to work, enjoying the pats on the back in support of getting some of his team back.

Ellie cheered when she was told and their kids came running, wanting to know. They'd met Tim's techs and were happy for their father.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Not everything was rosy in the concrete cave. While there were plenty of productive and fun activities, each of the shelter residents had bad moments when he or she would remember home and the horrendous losses. When someone created a small memorial in the Garden Room, it helped. When others led meditations or prayers that helped. Those with pets felt that time with them helped. The aquariums became popular as watching the fish was soothing and the turtles were entertaining. Chirp and Coco cheered people up too. Most people coped. However, as their time inside wore on, one shelter resident was having a great deal of difficulty.

Toni Ware started to slip even further away from people. She was by nature an extreme introvert with social anxieties and living with 82 strangers in a concrete cave with no safe way out weighed heavily on her. She found as much seclusion as she could, eating at off times with fewer people around, withdrawing from the social activities she'd originally seemed to enjoy, disappearing for hours at a time. The doctors knew where she was, in the tunnel. When a chair she favored disappeared from the media room, the security cameras showed it in the tunnel with a floor lamp and a small table. Jimmy prescribed one of the anti-anxiety medications they had and she took it for 5 days before saying she wouldn't take any more. The doctors' hands were tied; they had no legal or moral grounds to force her to take them.

Pete was worried sick; in the 30 years they'd been married, he'd never seen this side of his wife. He'd always known she was shy but now realized the problem was far worse than that. He tried to talk with her but she said she was all right, just needed time to herself. When Pete went to bed, she wouldn't be there but if he woke during the night, she'd occasionally be curled up next to him, giving him hope, although she was always gone by morning.

The doctors had her medical records and had been concerned from the start with her clinical diagnosis: anxiety disorder along with social phobia, or fear of people, shyness taken to the extreme. After she rejected the anti-anxiety medication, the four doctors conferred, finally deciding Ducky and Kelly would have the best chance of getting through to her, to offer help. However, when they approached her hoping to alleviate some of her anxiety and fear, she grew frantic, begging them to leave her alone and they backed off after quietly telling her they were there to help, to listen, whatever it took.

They knew her emotional and psychological balance had been precarious for some time. From what investigative work they'd had time to do, they discovered that with her husband away so much, she'd dealt with her problems by herself, made sure she handled the bills and medical paperwork, hiding her medical appointments and problems from Pete. Her medical records chronicled the therapy, anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications that had been prescribed. There were also notes in the file that the prescriptions were seldom refilled and she rarely showed up past the first or second therapy appointment.

Now she was physically, emotionally and psychologically reacting to the stresses of living underground after a nuclear attack; restricted to the shelter and forced to live communally with a large crowd of strangers. When she refused their help, the doctors regrouped to come up with another plan.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Sheltered, Weeks 2 - 7 Post Attack, July 11th - Aug. 21st, 2019 Continued

She snapped. Before the doctors could do anything further, Toni Ware hit bottom.

As was now her habit, she'd been in the tunnel during the day, leaving only to use the bathroom or find something to eat or drink. That particular night, two days after the doctors' attempt, the community went about their routines, the last stragglers turning off the overhead lights around midnight. Their night owls, Ali and Trish, were in the library with the door closed, working on a project, their favorite CD playing softly on the Palmers' old stereo.

At 0137, someone could be heard screaming for help and the frantic cries echoed throughout the shelter. While nearly everyone heard it, the feds and military among them responded first. Before the echo died, the agents were on the way. Tim ran across the common area in his pajamas and bare feet, identifying the voice and calling to his fellow agents who were closer, "Pete, last room."

Rick got there first, pulling the door open. After a quick glance he called, "He's bleeding, she's got a knife, need backup! Cuffs and medics."

Evan, Ned and Geo were right behind him and with Rick grabbed Toni's arm and torso as she prepared for another strike with her weapon, holding her securely. She seemed surprised, unaware of their entrance into the room. Tim was approaching the door when Bob called out from four rooms away, throwing his handcuffs to him. Jimmy and Rob appeared with their medical bags. Jimmy held Rob back, "Wait until they've secured her. They'll let us know."

Several things happened very rapidly. DiNozzo appeared with a camera, quickly beginning to take photos, Geo exited the room followed by Tim and Ned with Toni Ware in handcuffs, formally placing her under arrest for assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder, reciting her rights to her. As they finished, Evan called out, "We need an evidence bag and jar for the weapon and blood."

Jimmy replied, "I've got some with me", fished in his medical bag and once Mrs. Ware was out of the room, he and Rob entered. Jimmy handed an evidence bag to Rick and a specimen jar to Evan.

Waiting in the common area with Leon, Jethro and most of the other residents, Ducky approached Tim and Ned, "I need to examine the suspect." He looked at the agents, "I'll need quiet and privacy."

Leon and Jethro took charge of the crowd. Everyone but the babies was awake. The teens, scared it was another attack, woke Cissy and John Bishop. Now some of the parents and grandparents took charge of the younger children, soothing them and getting them back to bed. For now, the parents of Tyler, Brynie, Lissie and Adam Fuller, Victoria and Teddy Palmer were working and the children needed to stay where they were. When the children were told their parents were working, they calmed a little. That was something all of them were used to, even if it hadn't ever been right in front of them, at least not when Tyler and Bryn were old enough to remember.

In the common area, Maggie and Ellie were right behind Ducky and Kelly who'd joined him, "Dr. Mallard, we need to take custody from Agents Gibbs and Dorneget."

He nodded, stepping back with Kelly while the restrained woman was handed over to the armed female agents. He started to ask that she be seated so he could take her vitals and get a read on her mental condition but then looked at the people still hanging around. Shaking his head, he directed the two agents to take the confused woman to the Garden Room where they'd have privacy.

After applying pressure bandages and with the help of the agents, Pete was moved to the medical bay and Jimmy and Rob ministered to him. Before anesthetic was given, he told Rick and Evan what had happened. He'd woken to find his wife on her knees on their bed, leaning over him with a knife in her hand. He managed to move and yell for help at the same time. Still, the knife had penetrated his lower right side several inches, leaving a jagged, deep and very painful wound.

Kelly left Ducky, joining her colleagues in the medical bay. She administered anesthetic and monitored Pete's vital signs while the others ran a scan and then repaired the damage to their friend. Claire Hubbard, a registered nurse, also assisted where she could.

Once Ducky examined and recorded the suspect's condition, he left the agents, glad he and his fellow physicians had been briefed as to procedure in an event such as this. He went to the phone only to find Bob picking up the receiver, ready to make a call. "Agent Chalmers, if you're calling in local LEOs, don't. Antonia Ware is in need of psychiatric examination; I have procedures to call for extraction and removal to the nearest hospital. I do need to know if Pete's condition warrants hospitalization, if you would be so kind to check with the other doctors."

Jethro had followed Duck to the phone and when Bob frowned, he gave him a slight nod. Bob hurried to the medical bay and knocked, asking Ducky's question through the door. While Rob, Kelly finished closing Pete's wound and Claire took over monitoring his vitals, Jimmy stripped off his gloves, exiting the medical bay.

"I'll go talk with him, Bob, thanks. We'd prefer he be hospitalized but if the hospital is overcrowded, he's better off here. And once he's discharged, they'll likely place him in the nearest shelter rather than bringing him back out here."

The two men walked across to a waiting Ducky and Jimmy explained to his mentor. Dr. Mallard nodded in agreement, picking up the receiver to call for help. Tim and some of the others stood by.

Following the protocol they'd been given by the Bernalillo County Board of Health, Ducky called 9-1-1 and asked for an extraction. He was transferred to a triage team composed of a paramedic and a deputy sheriff. The request was handled quickly; this was not the first call from a shelter with problems.

The paramedic warned that area hospitals were overcrowded not only with county residents but also with victims of the fallout brought in from areas closer to the blast zones. Mr. Ware would be far better off remaining in the shelter. Dr. Mallard and his colleagues agreed.

EMTs and at least one deputy sheriff would be brought by helicopter to the shelter, all wearing full safety gear complete with breathing apparatus and oxygen. They'd bring an additional suit, wrapped in plastic, for the suspect. When they arrived, they'd remain just inside the main entrance while the suit was taken through the sealed door into the shelter. The EMTs would also bring additional antibiotics and medical supplies for the patient. The paperwork could be done online; by the time the EMTs arrived, Kelly and Jimmy would have the forms completed for a 72-hour psychiatric observation while Rick and Tony worked on the formal arrest and transfer of custody paperwork.

The extraction crew was there in less than an hour and Ducky suited up, insisting he be the one to open the door to gather the suit and supplies. After tearing the plastic off the suit and supplies, he brought them into the shelter and Toni Ware was helped into the suit by Maggie. The woman was coherent enough to walk on her own and Ducky escorted her to the main door. Bob's handcuffs had been removed but the agents were all now armed and walked with Ducky as far as the door. The deputy sheriff was waiting; he placed his own cuffs on her and again read her rights as she exited the shelter. In addition to the flights to and from the shelter, the whole procedure took less than 15 minutes. Ducky's initial numbers on the radiation monitor were good; they would continue monitoring him for a few days.

Pete had an IV full of fluids including painkillers and the first dose of an antibiotic and was sleeping as comfortably as possible. The doctors and Claire would rotate monitoring him.

Most of the residents were too unnerved to try returning to sleep even though it was barely 0300. When Jim spotted Jethro making coffee and carrying the pot into the library, he followed him only to see the two NCIS doctors and the agents who'd been involved in Toni's arrest seated at their laptops, clicking away, occasionally making a comment or asking a question. When the retired Navy Captain turned to leave, he was face to face with Vance. "Leon, what are they doing?"

"Their reports. It'll take them a few hours to get them all done, I'll review them, sign off and send it all to the sheriff's office with copies to the SecNav. And if the DA prosecutes, we'll also provide that office with copies and probably have more forms to complete."

"But everyone who did anything and for a civilian case? Bob tossed his handcuffs to Tim, for Pete's sake!"

"That makes him part of the incident, authorized use of his handcuffs. We're funded by Congress and have to account for every penny spent. We have a miniscule budget compared to the big dogs, even though matching resources we do as much work and are frequently more successful. So when we save money, say by removing NCIS handcuffs from Ware before she was extracted, we make a point of saying so. And reporting on civilian cases is as important as reporting on those within our charter. Civilian law enforcement, prosecutors and defense attorneys tend to be suspicious of federal agencies so we need every detail recorded while it's fresh in the agents' minds."

Tobias, who'd followed Jethro in with cups for the coffee, looked up with a grin. "He's right about NCIS being more successful than the big dogs. Whenever I had a case I couldn't get a handle on, I tried to find a way to involve NCIS and they always cracked it. Sometimes the Bureau would have a case that we'd been busting our butts on for months or years and NCIS would clear it in weeks, even days sometimes."

Jethro smiled, "We're small and mighty!"

Leon nodded, "The size of the agency is a distinct advantage."

Jim nodded and realizing he was causing a distraction, returned to the common area. When he heard crying from the younger girls' room, he hurried in to make sure his Hannah was all right. She was on her bed, rocking her favorite doll, Ainsley and Callum comforting her. When she saw him, her lower lip trembled and he wrapped his arms around her and then sat on her bed, settling her on his lap, rocking her. His older children stayed with him and their new sister.

Brynie was in her Nonnie's arms and Ty huddled into her side with Grandpa holding on from the other side. Both their parents and Poppy were working but Nonnie and Grandpa Mac were there to comfort them. Jim was still rocking Hannah when Grandma and Grandpa Bishop came in to help comfort their grandchildren.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

By 0600, the shelter was quiet again. The agents finished their preliminary reports and Leon ordered them to get some sleep. Ducky had an afternoon shift with Pete and was asleep while Jimmy would nap until Kelly, currently on duty, finished her shift, then Doc Palmer, followed by Claire, then Ducky and finally Rob who would take the last shift of the day.

While the injured man, NCIS and the medical staff slept, Jacob and Elaine quietly made breakfast for the rest of the residents, leaving egg, sausage and cheese muffins warm in the oven. They'd felt helpless during the attack; Jacob had been on his way out their door to see what was happening with their neighbors when Rick ran by them, Tim, Ellie, Leon and the DiNozzos running across the shelter and the other agents pouring out of their rooms.

In some ways it scared them more than the nuclear attack. They'd been safe inside the shelter then and convinced themselves that everyone they knew back home was similarly safe. But an attack within the shelter broke their bubble of complacency, as it did with most of the residents.

That evening after much discussion throughout the day, a community meeting was called. Because it concerned an active case, Leon and Jethro were the only representatives of NCIS. And although he was present, Leon could not say anything about the case, not without jeopardizing its resolution. His agents and some of the medical people were sequestered in the media room, determinedly watching a movie with the babies and younger children. The older kids were invited to the meeting.

When everyone found somewhere to perch, Jim Hubbard, the duly elected head of the community council, stood. "We need to talk about what happened early this morning with Pete and Toni Ware. First, Pete is resting comfortably and he will make a complete recovery; Toni is in a local hospital for a 72-hour psychiatric observation.

"You'll notice that none of the NCIS agents or medical folks is with us. They can't be; they're not allowed to speak about an active case. As for our doctors and nurse, one's on duty with the patient, another is asleep before a duty shift. It's just as well, if there's a hearing or trial, they'll have to testify and we can't muddy that. The agents, Dr. Mallard and Doc Palmer are watching a movie although they're probably asleep. Leon can't say much either; however, Jethro is a retired agent as is Tobias and neither were involved. They won't answer questions specific to the Wares but they can give us a general idea of similar cases."

Tobias shook his head, "I don't know how similar anything can be, given that this happened while living in a populated bomb shelter shortly after a nuclear strike. But domestic violence, yes, we both know something about that."

"Domestic violence, that's what this was?"

Jethro answered, "At a basic level, yes. There's more involved but the facts remain that one partner attacked the other."

"Why?"

Tobias answered, "We don't know in this case and even though we're retired, our oaths still stand; we wouldn't be able to tell you much if we did know. The roots of domestic violence are linked to power and control. It can be a result of frustration, anger, disappointment, mental illness, lack of respect or all kinds of stresses that can be a never-ending source of conflict between spouses.

"Couples usually resolve their differences through communication, counseling or divorce. Violence can erupt when one or both spouses have learned to respond with violence and abuse, usually from their own parents, grandparents or someone close to them during their childhood."

Several of the residents caught the reference to mental illness and thought about Toni Ware's solitary and increasingly odd behavior.

"What happens to the victim, the injured party?"

"If they've survived and all too often they don't, they carry on with life. They're offered counseling but I know Jethro, Leon and I have seen too many cases of the injured spouse taking back the abuser."

"Why isn't the abuser sent to prison?"

"Depends on the testimony of the injured party. If she or he refuses to testify, there's not much of a case unless there are prior convictions or other witnesses."

"And if they do go to prison?"

"Unless the injured spouse dies as a result of the injuries inflicted by the violent spouse, the sentence is only a few years."

Jethro looked around the room, "Is this helping at all?"

Jacob stood up, "A little bit, Jethro, and thanks to both of you and Leon. I guess I just want to know if this is likely to happen again while we're here."

Leon nodded to the other two; he'd take this one. "It's possible, it's always possible. We're living in extraordinarily stressful and unusual circumstances, 84, now 83 of us in a concrete enclosure. Of course, it's better than the alternative and we know that we won't be in here forever. In time, the radiation levels will be low enough for us to go outside for a few minutes every day – and those minutes will increase as conditions improve. Still, if anyone is feeling angry, tired, stressed, sad or frustrated, talk to someone, please! We are a community here and we have to depend on each other. Our doctors are trained to listen and I know all of us are capable of listening, having compassion and empathy."

He paused before continuing, "I understand and highly recommend the power of sharing. When my children's mother was murdered, I turned to one of my agents who'd been through horrible losses and his being there for me - listening - helped me immeasurably. And years ago when he needed help, he had a friend who listened, made sure he ate and slept, got on with life. We can do that here."

He paused again, "Having said all that, we're not anticipating similar problems. Tim keeps close track of the outside conditions and he believes we'll be able to step outside, at least into the ranch house in a few weeks. He tells me there's a possibility the North American monsoon season will include New Mexico this year because of the bombs, in fact across the planet weather patterns have been affected by the nuclear strikes."

He sat down; wishing he could allay their fears, tell them more of what he knew about Toni Ware.

Tobias gave Leon a long look before shrugging and standing again. "I'm retired from the FBI although I've worked many cases with NCIS. I've been retired for a while so I have less to lose and I wasn't involved with what happened this morning. Whatever I say won't affect the case but I don't have any medical knowledge, just what happened. What I'm going to tell you is public knowledge; it's been kept quiet because we hoped everything would go smoothly. However, we knew going into this that Mrs. Ware might have problems. She'd already refused to shelter with us; the day before we left Virginia she came to see the shelter, walked in and ran out. Barbara and Jerry were here, met her and saw her leave as if the devil was chasing her. Then she waited too long to catch a flight to safety and was left with very little choice.

"Jethro and Tim first met Pete after they broke a case here a few years ago and Tim contacted him in June to see if he'd be willing to move our stuff from Virginia to Albuquerque. The timing was fine, he and his wife planned to leave for the West Coast as soon as he'd delivered our things. You'll remember the timeline was shortened considerably when Tim broke that last cipher. At that point, Mrs. Ware still had the time and the means to get to their adult children but she did nothing. And I guess that isn't unusual, she was doing the adult version of hiding under the bed. If my daughter hadn't been with me and if I didn't trust Tim as implicitly as I do, I might have fallen into that pattern too.

"Anyway, Mrs. Ware waited until the last moment and while we were caravanning here, Pete repeatedly begged her to contact Tim. She finally did and he gathered a couple of people and got her over here. She's done very little to help herself or any of us. That's been noticed along with her increasingly odd behavior but no one expected her to attack Pete; we didn't anticipate violence at all.

"To wrap this up, I'll answer Jacob's question. No, although anything is possible as Leon said, there's no reason to expect more problems. No one else has exhibited similar or unusual behavior but if any of you are feeling pressure or emotions you don't feel able to handle, please do as Leon suggests and talk with someone. We can help!"

Jethro and Leon patted him on the back as he sat down and Emily beamed with pride. The rest of the group was relieved. While the others chatted, Leon walked over to the media room to tell the group they could come out now.

When he opened the door, he shook his head grinning and taking out his phone, took photos of all of them. Every single one of them was sound asleep, Arin lay across his foster parents' laps; the Gibbses curled up together with Ty and Brynie in between their parents with baby Lia asleep on Tim's torso. One arm around Lia, the other one stretched across the back of the kids, their heads nestled against it while his hand rested on his wife's shoulder. Rick and Evan were on either side of Bob, leaning into the taller man, Evan's little girl sprawled across all three of them.

Leon grabbed the remote, turning the screen and DVD player off and then gently woke Ellie. Next, he nudged Ducky who had Teddy in his lap; both leaning against Jimmy who had Victoria on one side and baby Ricky in his arms.

Ellie woke up wondering where she was and then noticed the director waking the others. She woke Tim and the two of them gathered their children and stumbled toward their room, Ducky and the Palmers following them out the door. One by one, the doctors and agents woke and headed off to their rooms. Ned was already stretched out on the cork floor and looked so contented that Leon took a newly crocheted afghan and laid it over him. His agent mumbled something that Leon could have sworn was "Thanks Mom."

As Tim and Ellie carried Brynie and Lia, Ty awake enough to walk, they paused at the kids' rooms, wondering if they should tuck them in. The couple looked at each other, smiling sleepily; this was definitely a night their babies would sleep with them. Opening the door, they laughed quietly as someone had moved Lia's crib inside, on Tim's side of the bed; that meant someone who knew Ellie frequented the bathroom throughout the night. First putting Ty and Brynie on their bed, they tucked Lia into her crib, kissing her goodnight. Tim grabbed their stash of extra pillows to ensure their unborn baby would not be kicked by his siblings during the night. It was a tight squeeze but once they had the kids situated between them, they quickly dropped off to sleep. Tim woke once, to see a familiar figure with a camera slipping out the door.

When Agents Gibbs, Bishop and family appeared at the table for a very late breakfast the next morning, Tim glared at Sarah. "Just you wait, Sarah. You wait until you have your kids all curled up with you, then I'll sneak in wherever you are and take your picture."

She laughed, "Mom put me up to it. Actually, she asked Kelly but she said she didn't want to uh…upset you. And you won't have long to wait to sneak in on me, Bob, and our baby."

Tim stared at her and then grinned, grabbing her. "You're pregnant? Wow, Sarah, wow, I'm gonna be a grandfather!"

Around them, several people laughed while others looked confused. Their parents appeared and after kissing Sarah, congratulating her and Bob, Dad gently patted the back of Tim's head. "You can't change that now, Timothy! You made your choice before the adoption. It was your decision to be brother, not father."

"Oh yeah, forgot about that!" He smirked at Sarah, "I can hardly wait to tell your kid all about you as a child."

"Uh, now Tim…"

Geordie and Bec joined them and Geo said, "Must be something about facing the end of the world because Dad, Mom, you've got grandbabies 4, 5 and 6 on the way!"

When the family was speechless, Bec patted her belly. "Sarah and I are having twin cousins."

At the even wider eyes she laughed, "No, we're not having twins; I just meant that our babies will be born around the same time!"

Amidst the cheers, Rob, Ali, Kelly and Mateo joined them and Rob nudged Kelly, "Kels, we're going to be the very coolest of cool aunt and uncle!"

She nudged him back with a grin, "We already are, Robbie!"

Their father grimaced, "Gonna need more wood for cribs, bassinets, rocking chairs, and changing tables! Lots more wood."

Shannon smiled at him, "Good, while you're building, I'll be knitting and sewing! Lots of baby sleepers, hats, and booties! Six grandchildren, wow!"

Jethro laughed, "We're going to have to move to one of the guesthouses, the house is going to be very noisy!"

Ellie chuckled, "Just one bassinet, Jethro. Little Mac will be sleeping most of the night by the time his cousins are born; whoever gets here first can have his bassinet."

"Thanks Eleanor, that's a relief! But still…!"

Tobias appeared, looking for coffee. "What are you crabbing about already?"

"Got three grandbabies on the way! Need your help with all the baby furniture!"

Tobias looked surprised and then looked at Sarah, Kelly, and Bec. "Ahh, twins on the way?" He turned to look at Ellie, "Or triplets?"

Sarah laughed, "No, Bec and I are pregnant." He grinned, giving both fist bumps. "Congratulations!" He turned to Jethro, "I'm moving to the barn."

"Might need to build more houses."

"Can't do baby furniture and houses at the same time. Won't get either done."

Shannon smiled, "We'll figure it out."

The double baby news was just the shot in the arm they all needed and kept them going for several days. Pete's first appearance outside of the medical bay three days later boosted spirits even more. His skin tone still gray, he was riding a wheelchair although the doctors told him he'd be back on his feet within another few days.

The doctors were worried about his emotional, psychological and social well-being. Pete had to deal with the facts that his wife attempted to kill him and had hidden her medical problems from him for three decades. He'd called the hospital, learning that she was responding well to medication; her doctors updated him daily with her condition, diagnosis and prognosis. The irony of the success of the medication she previously refused to take was not lost on the family medical professionals.

There was no word yet whether the Bernalillo County District Attorney would pursue charges against her. The agents kept it to themselves, but each thought there would be a charge of some sort, possibly assault while under diminished capacity; her attack would have consequences. However, most of them foresaw a long parole or community service and mandatory random blood tests to ensure she was taking her medications.

Of all of them besides Pete, Shannon was the one most affected as she remembered her own assault on her precious son the first time they met as adults. Tim saw the look on her face when the deputies left with Mrs. Ware and pulled her into his arms. "We're fine, Mom, you didn't hurt me like that. Please don't compare this to that."

"I love you so much Timothy, my own baby boy."

"I know you do and I love you, Mama. We're good, better than good. The best mom and son ever."

She took a deep breath, "All right, I'll dig out my notes and do those mind exercises again."

"That's my mama!"

Watching the exchange, Jethro was so proud of his son he thought he'd burst.

Ellie was also watching and with a thoughtful look on her face, followed her mother-in-law to her room. When Shannon saw her, she motioned her in. "What's up?"

"This is kind of weird, not related to Toni Ware and you don't have to tell me but I've been wondering ever since."

"Ever since what, Ellie?"

"Ever since you told Tim and Jethro that you called all the exes about the threat. I've been wondering what you said to them."

"Hmm, in particular Jake Malloy and Delilah Fielding?"

"Of course but I'm also curious about…uh…"

Shannon chuckled, "My 'sister wives', so to speak?"

Ellie laughed with her. "That's a great way of putting it and yes."

Smiling, Shannon patted the bed. "Come sit and I'll tell you. I don't want to talk too loud; Jethro's still a little prickly about it. He's glad he didn't have to do it, but still not sure he likes that I did."

Ellie sat down and then both women paused when there was a perfunctory knock on the door and Sarah poked her head in. "Can I join you?"

"Sure! I'm about to reveal some juicy stuff, my warning calls to all the exes." Sarah's eyes lit up and she quickly sat next to her sister-in-law.

Shannon shook her head at the two of them. "The first call, to Diane, was easy because we've met. I told her the news and then asked about Rebecca and Stephanie. She admitted she'd told them about Kelly and me before Jethro contacted them, which was fine with me. Then she asked if I wanted to call them. When I said yes, she gave me their contact information. And she told me Rebecca was in Trenton and Stephanie in Philadelphia. That part I already knew, I mean Stephanie. Anyway, I called Rebecca on a video chat. She knew who I was and asked after Jethro, congratulated me on my bravery for returning to him, I'm still not sure what that really meant, and then listened to my warning. She asked how I knew and I told her about Tim. Apparently, Diane told her about him too. Anyway, despite the warning, it was a calm call.

"Next was Stephanie and she questioned everything, from who I really was to the warning itself, asked me if Tim was really our son or was that something Diane dreamed up. That amused me; I showed her a few family photos with Tim, Mac, the kids and us and that did it. After she was sure of everything she thanked me for the warning, said I was probably nicer than Jethro deserved, said she was glad that Kelly and I were alive and that Tim, she remembered him from some case, had discovered his roots and that was the end of that conversation. Those calls weren't too bad. I had a thought afterward that I bet Diane called them later and they had a good gossip about us. Anyway, my next two calls were the most difficult.

"Delilah and Jake's contact information came from Tony, although he said Delilah probably already knew about the threat and that if Jake was still with the NSA he probably did too. I decided to call them anyway. Now, I knew a little about each of them, knew he'd cheated on you, Ellie, and that Delilah cheated on Tim. I made the mistake of persuading Tony to tell me the Delilah story and what he knew of Mr. Malloy's story. In retrospect, I should have waited until after the calls because I was boiling mad when I called them.

"I called Delilah first, asked if she was Delilah Fielding and introduced myself as Shannon Gibbs, Jethro's wife and Tim's mother. She'd acknowledged her name but after I explained who I was there was dead quiet and I wondered if she'd hung up or just left the phone and moved away. Finally, she sort of gulped and asked why I was calling her.

"And I said, 'First of all to warn you of a possible nuclear attack on Washington, D.C. You need to pack up and go. Go at least two hundred miles north, south or west.'

"She had some questions about that and I answered them. After she thanked me for the warning, I remembered what Tony told me about my poor son, opened my mouth and out it poured. I said, 'I also wanted to let you know that you're an ungrateful whore for playing my son, a gold digger, taking advantage of him while fucking someone else. I want you to have a long time to live with that, to realize what a bitch you are. And I hope someone does it to you so you'll have the same pain. But you know what? The best revenge is a good life and Tim's certainly achieved that. He found the love of his life less than a month after dumping you and is so happy with her and their children he's never given you another thought. Eat that, whore!' Then I hung up. I called her on the house phone just so I could slam the phone down and enjoyed it way too much."

Ellie and Sarah gave her high fives and then Ellie gave her a look. Shannon rolled her eyes. "Yes, my last call was to Fuckin' Jake as Tony called him. I used the landline again, went through the explanation of who I was and that I was your mother-in-law. He made a noise when I said that. Anyway, I gave him the warning and when he asked me how I knew, I told him my son Tim, Ellie's husband. He asked another question but his voice sounded somewhat strangled. He asked if that was Tim McGee and I said yes, only he's now Tim Gibbs. Then I added that you two were happily married since shortly after the divorce and had three lovely children. And then I told him he was a fucking bastard for what he did to you and that I hoped it would happen to him so he'd know what it felt like. And the thing with the long life, same as I said to the Fielding bitch. He might have been crying by the time I hung up. Eminently satisfying!"

Sarah gave her mother and sister-in-law a hug each before leaving the room, still chuckling. Ellie sat in silence for a few minutes and then smiled. "Thanks, Shannon! That's…wow, you are the best mother-in-law!"

"Perspective, sweetie, I could very well have thanked both of them. If they hadn't done what they did, you could still be married to him and Tim to her although by now they'd probably be divorced. We'd still have Ty and Brynie but they wouldn't have their mommy and we might not have Lia. Our family would be very different without you, not to mention Tim's broken heart. I know it was a horrible time for each of you but I am thankful you're together now, right where you should be."

She pulled her daughter-in-law in for a long hug, parting only when they heard Lia calling for her mommy.

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A few days later, they had a feast as their corn, originally planted in seed pots for a Virginia garden, was harvested along with their weekly pick of zucchini and various varieties of tomatoes. Jacob and Elaine had been hoarding butter for just this occasion and when the group sat down for corn on the cob with real butter, the Rourkes were lavished with praise.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back in Chapter 17, Tim gave his ID and Passcode to reach the Secretary of Defense when he solved that last cipher. While no one sent in any guesses, a few readers have asked what it means. Here's the 'translation' of the cipher I created:
> 
> Tim's ID is 111803107-S. That translates to November (11) 18th (18) 2003 (03) Season 1, Episode 7 (107) and the S after the dash represents the title of the episode, Sub Rosa.
> 
> That date, 11/18/03 marks the very first NCIS appearance of our intrepid Tim McGee in the episode Sub Rosa, which is the 7th episode of Season 1. It was fun putting it together! 
> 
> The Passcode has the actor's initials: SHM (Sean Harlan Murray) along with random numbers and symbols.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, Avirra! That was fun!
> 
> Much thanks to my beta, Alix33 on whom I rely for opinions when I'm floundering, comments on the story, suggestions and grammatical corrections. You do awesome work, my friend!

Chapter 28

Sheltered, Mid-Week 7 – Week 9 Post Attack, Aug. 18th - Sept. 4th, 2019

Three days after the corn feast there was anticipation in the air when the weather report forecast rain and wind for New Mexico from the North American monsoon. According to news broadcasts, the state of New Mexico was only a few RADs away from where they needed to be to experience the outside world. The shelter residents dearly hoped the storms would help them out.

They'd been inside for seven and a half weeks now and were getting anxious to see the outside world. They'd heard from the water company, who'd refilled their tank and reported that fallout had fallen off and on but hadn't occurred since week 5-post attack.

Sarah and Bec were stoic when told they would probably not be able to join the others outside; with particulates still in the atmosphere, even with reduced radiation their fetuses would be too vulnerable to miscarriage or birth defects. Ellie was also advised not to go. Disappointed but determined to protect their pregnancies, the three women made plans of their own. They might not be able to go outside, but the house was still a possibility and they had their own rooms there. Big rooms, with windows. And there were bathtubs with free flowing hot water.

For twelve days, they listened to the local news as the monsoon raged silently above them. While they waited, some folks realized that although they were living in a concrete cave, some things hadn't changed. They were fine using the NoAgua lotion for cleansing and dry shampoo for their hair. However, by this time, most people's hair was starting to look and feel a bit shaggy. The styles of whatever the pre-evacuation hairdos had been were rapidly disappearing, weighed down by new growth, gone straight, curly or horror of horrors, gray roots! Men with comb overs now had bangs; women with short, stylish cuts now had hair over their ears and at their collars, as did many of the men. The kids were all shaggy, even the ones with long hair were badly in need of a trim. Luckily, Aunt Cissy and Uncle John had owned and operated a "His and Her" salon for many years and were prepared to help their shelter mates. As Trish and Ali worked in the shop many times, they were now drafted as additional staff.

One weekend morning when the general population wandered into the kitchen for breakfast and/or coffee, they found sign-up sheets for haircuts on the community bulletin board. One for the men and boys over three, one for the women and girls over three and one for the toddlers. And joy of joys, the cuts would include a hair wash, _with water_! Cissy and John came well prepared, they'd brought enough water to wash everyone's hair a couple of times. With the solar panels providing plenty of power and the generator as backup, there were no worries about power usage.

Rather than heat water in Elaine's big pots on the stove, they diverted the hot water hoses from four of the washers and set up a make-do washing station there. With so many heads to wash and hair to cut, it wasn't going to happen in one day and they spread the appointments out over a week with ten people a day. That way laundry could also be done.

Ali and Trish manned the hair wash station and their shelter mates giggled and then laughed aloud at the happy noises people made while having their hair washed.

The Bishops made sure their first customers were a mixture of adults and kids. That would help if any of the children were nervous or frightened. The toddlers were curious. They watched their daddies' hair being cut before climbing on their laps for their turn. Lia, Ricky, Zach, Zoey and Arin really just needed a bit of trim and shaping and that's what they received. When they were done, the littles chortled happily when given baby-sized lollypops, with parental permission of course.

Ellie wanted Tim's hair at its current length so Uncle John trimmed it but didn't take any deep cuts. Tim wasn't sure he liked it but if Ellie was happy, he was happy. When they were out of the shelter and back to work, he'd have it cut shorter again.

By Monday when classes resumed, the kids' hair was neatly trimmed and their instructors were stylin'. Due to the laundry needs of the parents of young children, the 'salon' was open only for manicures and pedicures that day.

When the Rourkes heard the plan they nixed the idea of the appointments happening anywhere near the kitchen or dining area. Manicures and pedicures means nail polish and nail polish remover and the cooks did not want the kitchen and dining area to smell like anything but the feasts they made. The next best area would be the tunnels but not the basement tunnel, still too close to the kitchen. So the salon moved into the main entrance tunnel with fans blowing as more than a few people weren't crazy about nail polish fumes. Tim smiled when he heard - that was one thing that didn't trigger his asthma. He didn't like the smell but at least he could breathe through it.

With the washing machines busy with baby diapers and clothes, warm water for the salon had to be heated on the stove or in the microwave and lugged out to the tunnel. Cissy, John and their helpers made it through their appointments but decided to postpone any more mani/pedi appointments until they could leave the shelter. Even the basement of the house would be better than the tunnel!

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When the monsoon finally moved north, Ducky insisted on being the one to read the air quality and check for radioactivity in the basement of the house. He'd collect a sample of the air and soil that he and Tim would test. If everything tested at safe levels in the basement, they'd run a test on the main level and then again on each level of the house. Venturing outdoors would have to wait.

Although his numbers had remained clean after he'd delivered Toni Ware to the extraction team, nobody was willing to risk the good doctor's health again. That was a problem as he and Tim were the only ones who knew what to do and nobody was willing to risk Tim either. Colonel Barnes, Grandpa Mac, and Gram Maisie were eager to suit up to run the tests; after several rather heated discussions, Ducky and Tim taught them how to use the monitor and capture the samples. The readings would automatically be saved so other than remembering how to get the readings and the samples, the trek would be simple. The Colonel, Mac, and Maisie drew numbers and the Colonel 'won', which cheered him immensely.

They ran through procedures, Geo helping the Colonel with the suit and the breathing apparatus; he slipped a pair of crime scene booties on over the man's boots and he was ready to go. Walking through the tunnel, he stopped on the shelter side of the airlock hatch to set down a bag of items he'd need on his way back.

The tunnel was divided into multiple parts. From the basement, there was what they called the 'outer hatch' that led into the tunnel. Immediately inside were several feet of space they called 'no man's land' as it wasn't necessarily safe. That led to the airlock hatch and the area behind it, the longest stretch of the tunnel, led to another door. This long stretch was where Jethro set up his workroom; his workbench and wood scraps were still there. Toni Ware had also occupied the space. Storage cabinets and some of the too-big dressers held canned goods; a few odd sized items were also stored in this portion of the tunnel. And that final door, usually locked only at night, led directly into the shelter.

The Colonel released the airlock and from there it was a short walk through 'no man's land' to the outer door and into the basement. He smiled behind the faceplate as he stood on the dirt, terra firma at last! He pressed the right buttons on the monitor and the radiation count was recorded. He did a second reading with the monitor at ground level, closer to the air the children would breathe. Both readings were automatically saved.

Then he took out one of the transfer pipettes, he thought of it as a very small baster, for the air sample and inserted the sample into a clean phial, wrapped in plastic, remembering to cap it again before he wrote the location and date on it. Following a similar procedure, he obtained a soil sample.

Re-entering the tunnel, he stopped in 'no man's land' to wipe down the phials, the transfer pipettes, the monitor, his suit, face mask and breathing apparatus with clean wipes, leaving the plastic wrap, used wipes and his crime scene booties behind in a Hazardous Waste container. He used more wipes to open and shut the airlock hatch and then stripped out of the radiation suit, boots and gloves, wiping the boots and his hands again before donning another pair of disposable gloves he'd left here along with a pair of sandals. Finally, clad in walking shorts and a tee shirt, carrying the boots, the monitor and the samples, he left the suit to be cleaned later and knocked on the door of the shelter. He handed off the monitor to a gloved Admiral Crane and the test tubes of air and dirt to Ducky, also gloved. Once in his room, he cleaned up using copious amounts of the NoAgua lotion. He dressed and exited to find his son-in-law waiting for him with the other monitor. His numbers were as clean as Ducky's had been but he'd also be tested daily for a few days.

When they'd taken all the precautions possible, the monitor readings were checked. The numbers were good, both the ground level and at the Colonel's height; there was less radiation in the basement than would be present in an X-ray. If the air also tested safe, they'd test the stairs and then the main floor of the house. It wasn't much yet, it wasn't the outdoors but it was the beginning of their return to the outside world. Tim and Ducky tested the air in the test tube and found it stale as expected, but checking it against the basement 'before' sample, found it no more polluted or radioactive than it had been before they moved into the shelter. The soil test took a little longer but it too compared favorably to the 'before' soil sample Tim took on their way into the shelter the day of the attack.

They'd conducted the tests in the tunnel, wanting privacy and emerged to find the entire population waiting for them. They grinned, "RADs in the basement are below X-ray level and the air is the same as the day we moved in here. The soil in the basement is the same as pre-attack."

There was more to say but they were interrupted by cheers. Waiting for quiet, Tim continued, "The next step is testing the main level of the house. But we need to wait at least three days to make sure the Colonel's numbers stand firm before we send anyone else up."

Ducky took the next bit, "As we've said before, anyone pregnant runs the risk of miscarriage or birth defects from fallout when venturing outside. And when we do go outside to test, the numbers will again have to be taken twice, once at the tester's height and again at ground level. Let me explain: fallout that is particles of radioactive dust, soot, pollution, what's also referred to as particulate matter, has fallen to the ground. We send a 6 ft. person to test the radiation levels and the monitor tests the air at the level at which it's being held and within a fixed range. The radiation levels are just fine at 5'8", thank you, but not all of us are that height.

"Radiation levels are much higher closer to the ground and on the ground where it settles. We have to be very careful how we go about determining what is safe and for whom. That's why we'll be doing additional extensive testing. And it will take time. Every test requires a waiting period to ensure the tester's numbers are clean. It may not be strictly necessary, but our scientists and we doctors all feel it should be done.

"This may be the most difficult part of our time here, waiting for tests and more tests. Please dig deep for the patience we all need; we've only just started our return journey to the outside world. And we may continue to sleep and eat in here for several months, possibly through the winter. Our air is clean in here, our food uncontaminated and we have plenty of it. The water company will continue to refill the tank with water that has been protected from fallout. Our children will be safer as will our developing fetuses."

Then he laughed as everyone was still grinning at him. "Yes, I see your happiness and share it; this is cause for celebration!"

Several folks were already pulling out cups and bottles of the sparkling beverages they saved for special occasions.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Pete watched the others celebrate and he toasted along with them. But he wondered how long it would be before he could return to his own home, so close, and rejoin the world, as changed as it was for him personally. His wife was still in a psychiatric ward. Although she responded well to medication, they'd been unsuccessful in moving her to a step down unit and he had no idea if she'd ever be well enough to leave the hospital. The DA had contacted him, letting him know they were filing charges of assault under special circumstances and a public defender would be appointed. It was the lowest charge they could bring against her for her actions and the special circumstances, living in a bomb shelter with her medical condition, according to Ali, their resident estate attorney and the research she'd done online, almost guaranteed there would be no jail time. She'd likely be placed on a conditional long-term parole with frequent and random blood tests to ensure she continued her medications. He was still working to accept the fact that she'd hidden her problems from him and their children for more than thirty years. No matter how he tried to justify her actions, she'd lied to them all. He was angry, hurt, frustrated, sad and scared. He still had not contacted his children to let them know what happened. No one here could really understand.

Except there was. Jethro's wife may not have hidden a medical condition or lied to him but he'd been lied to about her and Kelly's deaths. For twenty-five years, he had been allowed to mourn. He was still angry with Mike Franks and the Marshals Service in general. He understood protection but he didn't understand why he hadn't been allowed to join them in the program. There were numerous times, beginning with his return from Kuwait after they'd 'died', when he could have been taken to them. Or after his return from Columbia, when he was still on medical leave. Or even years later when he'd fled to Franks' beach after the explosion that wiped his memory. And their last chance, when he'd been swept into protection with Tim and the kids. They'd been close, got the name right but that was it.

So he was able to commiserate with his friend Pete and the man felt a little better for having someone around who understood. It helped.

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In general, the group had maintained a sense of humor, less a few lapses, and joked when the three day wait for the Colonel's numbers to be finalized seemed to last as long as the previous 8 weeks. Finally, the doctors proclaimed the man's good numbers finalized; they were ready for the next test.

While they waited, September birthdays were celebrated, including Lia's 1st, Tyler's 7th, Jethro's and Ducky's, the latter two declining to state their ages.

Lia's birthday was fun as she smooshed her little mouth into her cupcake, squealing with glee. Her parents had gifts they'd brought with them and she had as much fun with the wrapping paper as she did with her new treasures. She had a new bright red sweater from Nonny, new pink and green striped leggings from Grandma and a pretty purple swirly top, from Gram Maisie, with a big '1' appliqued onto it, all three handmade.

Poppy, Grandpa Mac and Grandpa Jerry worked together to make the birthday girl a combination toy, commercially called "My Busy Town™" a large wooden wood cube with 5 sides of activities. Those included curvy bead mazes, peek-a-boo-doors, spin and match animals, turn and learn ABC tiles and racing vehicle rollers. When Tim mentioned during one of the warehouse trips that he and Ellie were taking Lia and Ty's birthday presents with them, Jethro thought that was a good idea. Shannon and he did some research online, decided what they wanted to give Lia for her first birthday but realized there wasn't time to make it. In the meantime, they'd brought the Bishops in on it. Jerry and Jethro split the list of components they'd need and did some quick shopping before they left for the shelter. They worked on it in the tunnel while the kids were in school. As the plain wooden box was painted a bright green and started to look like something, it was hidden under Jethro's workbench, a sheet 'sacrificed' to cover it.

Granducky gave Lia a children's book of poems, one that had been given and read to him as a young child. He'd included a note in the front of the book with her birthdate and that it was for her on her first birthday from her Granducky, Donald Mallard. That note was just below the note from his own grandfather; it had also been a birthday present for him when he was a year old. Each of his grandchildren had received a book similar to this, with the original inscription to Donald; he already had two picked out for Ricky and Little Mac and brought several extra, just in case. Luckily, the Mallards were great lovers of books and young Donnie had an extensive library of his own by the time he learned to read at the tender age of 4.

Tyler had three parties, one in class with a cake baked by his father, decorated by his mother, the second with Poppy, Granducky and the other September celebrants at dinner, with cupcakes. His siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles gathered in the library on his and Poppy's actual birthday, watching the two opening their gifts. Ty's favorite gift was a boxed set of Adventure books titled "Choose Your Own Adventure". The clever author started the stories and then left it up to the reader to fill in what happened in them. Tyler had his father's imagination and was already writing bits and pieces of things in his journal. Another gift was a set of 3 journals. Each book had pages at the front and back to help with ideas, spelling, grammar and many enticing blank pages in between.

He also loved the sweater and shirts his grandmothers and aunts made him. The ladies figured they had two or three more birthdays before he'd stop loving gifts of clothes quite so much. Another favorite gift was a 705-piece kit of 8" straws and connectors with which Ty could build a tower, house, rocket, car, bridge. The possibilities seemed endless and the game came with a list of ideas. Wisely, his parents held onto the toys with smaller pieces or that needed more space until Christmas when they'd be out of the shelter.

One of the rules quickly made in the shelter was that the kids' toys had to remain in the playroom; to that end, each family had a storage tote (or two) in the playroom, marked with their surname and all toys were put away before bed. Every night. Almost.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Sheltered, Weeks 9 - 12 Post Attack, Sept 4th - Sept. 25th, 2019

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

For the adults and older children, the next test was as exciting as the outside tests would eventually be. Freedom to move around the house and look out the windows, to see trees and the sky, to touch walls not made of concrete; to have actual privacy was something they all longed for. The younger kids, Matt and Chesnie, Victoria, Ty, Hannah, Marta, Lissie, Brynie, Kenny and little Teddy, understood that the bad stuff was getting better. They couldn't go outside yet but soon they might be able to see the toys they'd left in the house and eventually they'd be able to play tag outside again. The children understood their homes had been destroyed and they couldn't go back. However, as long as they were with their parents, they felt safe.

On Wednesday, the day before the next test, the President addressed the nation again. She told them that with the work they'd done the number of known fatalities and the number unaccounted for now stood at 73,749. It was lower than the number Tim's program reported but not enough. And while it was a fraction of the millions within a 200-mile radius of the blast zones who had escaped the blasts, it still meant 73,749 men, women and children had been murdered by the bombs. The news generated a lot of emotion in the shelter and many people remained in the common area after the broadcast, dealing with the raw facts.

There was a lot of discussion and again Kayla spoke up. "We need to know how this happened. My dad says we will, that our agents, people like our agents here, are working diligently to find out who and why. And we need to know what happens next as far as the country. How will this change us, past millions of people living in shelters and millions more with no place to go?

"Just about everyone who was evacuated is displaced. People whose homes are in the outlying areas will be able to go back. What about the rest of them? Where do they go? Where do _we_ go? I know we're all welcome to stay here with the Gibbs family and that's a huge comfort but what other possibilities are there? Will there be a new capital? I'm sure there are other questions. Tim's said all along that this is not the end, we'll continue. I think we should not only mourn, but once again celebrate our survival."

Kelly nodded as she thought she understood. "Our real lives, Kayla. Mourning all those people and our lives as they were. And not just for those of us who lived there, for all of us because what was there is gone. Washington, D.C. belonged to every American, really to the world. And what it meant shouldn't be gone, not just our lives but also the monuments, the museums and the reasons they were there. We need to start embracing the new, discussing where it might lead us."

"Yes Kelly!"

Rob nodded too, "We've been safe here from the attacks and we've kept busy and learned new things, our time has been productive. But it has also been a holding pattern, a kind of limbo between what was and whatever comes next. So we say goodbye to what was, let go or start to let go and figure out what we want next?"

"Yes, I'm so glad I'm not the only one."

Dave chuckled, "You're not, Kayla, not by a long shot, but I'm glad you're expressing it, questioning things as you are. And you're right about all of it. We do need to talk about it and start looking ahead."

Tim rolled his shoulders, "In some ways, we've started already. I know I'm not the only one who's had a conversation or two about what we'll do when we're back on the outside. Leon's planning the future of the agency and listening to our input. What else is going on? Who knows where they want to live or what college or school they want to go to?"

Mateo raised his hand, "I applied to transfer from GW to three universities before we left. Yesterday I heard from one of them that all students with GPAs of 2.5 and up from GW and the blast zone colleges and universities are being accepted at all accredited colleges and universities in the U.S. and we're eligible for special scholarships, grants and financial aid. They have my records; GW and the other colleges transferred the data from their servers to somewhere for safekeeping. I haven't made up my mind yet where I want to finish my last semester but it's good to know I'll have more choices than I thought. I might even be able to complete my degree online."

He smiled at Kelly as he said that and she smiled back. Her father tried to ignore their interaction but then his wife squeezed his hand and he bit back a sigh. He was never going to catch up with his daughter; he'd never get those twenty-five years back. Instead, he would continue to know and love the wonderful person she'd become and learn to accept that she was a grown woman and an independent one at that.

Uncle Jim raised his hand, "We like what little we saw of the countryside here and from what Jethro's told us, the weather's much nicer. It'll be strange to be away from the ocean after all these years but we want to stay here. Make Hannah a permanent part of our family, buy a house and give all three of our children a home for the rest of their childhoods. No more moving around!"

Ellie nudged Tim, they were both thinking of a possible subtext: Grammie didn't want to get too far away from Ducky, fine with them! Nor were they surprised that the Hubbards wanted to adopt Hannah; that was excellent!

Ed Slater, who had kept a low profile for the past 9 weeks, raised his hand. "When Jimmy let us know we needed to leave and that there was space for all of us in here, we closed two of our shops, bought a building in Albuquerque, applied for a business license and have our equipment in storage here in town. We'll be opening the first branch of Palmer-Slater Funeral Home in Albuquerque as soon as we're clear to move out and we plan for at least one more. Unless Jimmy's job takes our Palmer family elsewhere, we're staying here. Although we might need to live in the shelter until we also find homes!"

That garnered a lot of happy and surprised faces and those who didn't know Ed Slater's history with Jimmy were a bit puzzled at the reaction. Jethro looked at his wife but she just smiled enigmatically.

Bob looked at Sarah and she smiled, "We're hoping to stay here to raise our family. That'll depend on what happens with the agency, of course. I fell in love with New Mexico when we spent a week in Ruidoso with Dad, Tim, and the kids before they came home three years ago. I want to live where there are places like that. And besides from what I hear, the rest of the country is an easy drive from here."

There was a groan at that and she added with a laugh, "Unless you're in a massive caravan heading away from imminent danger."

Haley raised her hand next, "I'm going wherever Bob and Sarah and the baby go, as long as I can get a decent job. And I hope we get to stay here."

Leon raised his hand, chuckling, "All right, I'll save you some worry! The details haven't been worked out yet but I'm working here for at least the next three years. That means my agents are too, unless they want transfers. We'll rent office space either in Albuquerque or in Artesia with the FLETC gang. But that's a 3 ½-hour drive from here and as convenient as being on the same property as FLETC might be, we need to be close to the airport. We can talk about this separately, no need to drag everyone into NCIS' plans. Except Dr. Palmer, we will need you here. Tell you why later."

Liz Crane raised her hand next, "We have two grown kids who haven't yet figured out where they want or need to be. And two boys who need a permanent family and home. We're that family and we want to stay here with them, close to our expanded family. The older two can visit when they want. Sarah's right, whether driving or flying, this state is well situated."

Rob smiled, "Don't know what hospital I'll be working in, need to check that out, but I want to stay around here."

Kelly nodded, adding, "Me too."

Ali raised her hand, "Me three but law firm, not hospital."

Tony raised his hand, "Maggie, the Colonel, Arin and I also want to stay here; and part of that will be adopting him. New Mexico is fine with me but the real draw is raising our kids with our family around."

There were nods, 2 beats of silence and then several people exploded or so it seemed, there was so much noise. "Kids?"

"Tony, what are you saying?"

"Anthony?"

"DiNozzo?"

And then the voice of reason, "Hush, all of you! Maggie?"

"Yes, Shannon; Geo's right, there must be something about facing the end of the world because surprise! Barnes' grandchild # 2 and Gibbs' grandchild # 7 is also on the way."

The Colonel's smile was threatening to split his face and people around him were pounding him on the back and shaking his hand, as if he'd had anything to do with it!

When the tumult died down, Tony cleared his throat and standing, faced the senior Gibbses. "One more thing. Gibbs, you've been my surrogate father, father figure, whatever you want to call it, for nearly 20 years now. I know I resisted because, well you know why. And your wife has already adopted me. Can we please now make it all the way official?"

Now the whole Gibbs clan was swept up into one loud happy bunch as Jethro agreed to adopt Tony. Although in Jethro's mind that happened when Shannon's adoption of him went through.

In the middle of all this a young voice was heard, "I thought Poppy was already Uncle Tony's daddy!"

Poppy answered, "I am, Brynie, we just need to do the paperwork, kind of like Lia."

"Oh, he's a foster! Yay Uncle Tony."

When the noise had died down again, Tim looked at Kayla, "Kayla, sounds like several of us have figured out the 'what and where' once we leave the shelter. That takes our families out of the millions who need to figure this out. I'm guessing the first step, as far as the national plan, is to get everyone out of shelters, find homes and help them find jobs, although the jobs might have to come first, then the permanent homes. And then everyone who was evac'd out of the country needs to be brought home and housed somewhere while they decide where they'll work and live.

"That's going to be a huge task and I don't have a clue how it'll happen. Where are they all going to live and work? Are there areas of the country that have a lot of vacant housing? Or will there be dwellings built while they wait to come home? And what about the job situation? At some point, it'll be safe to go back into the blast zones and start clearing and cleaning so we can rebuild, but that's not going to start right away.

"If anyone has any ideas, I'd say write them up and send them to…huh. Maybe our former federal representatives? Director, is that a question we can pass up the line, where to send ideas for repatriation and return to work? I hope there's someone with a direct line of communication to whoever the President has in mind to manage the Return."

"I have a conference call tomorrow, be happy to bring it up."

"Thanks. So, does anyone have any ideas?"

Kayla had been quiet, thinking. "There must be vacant office buildings around the country and they all have restrooms, although probably not bathing facilities, and electricity. If they used them for the evacuations, couldn't they also use them for longer-term temporary housing? Could they be converted to temporary housing for people? I know they did it in a hurry during the evacuation but could it happen so people can live there for several months, maybe a year or more?"

Tim nodded, "Yes, it might take some emergency zoning changes but those can be done. When my dad, the kids and I were here the first time, we were housed in a suite of rooms in an office building. There was a small living/dining area, an alcove with a refrigerator/freezer, a toaster oven, microwave and cabinets. We had two bedrooms, 1 full bathroom and 1 half bath. The building had a gym, indoor pool and an extensive rooftop play area/garden. It wasn't huge but it was comfortable enough. Is that what you're thinking, along those lines? Maybe some with three bedrooms, 2 full baths, add an oven?"

"Yes, that's it. And maybe the building has a media and playroom for the teens and littles."

"Write it up, let's get that to someone. Any other ideas?"

Callum had a question, "What did you mean by emergency zoning changes, what's zoning?"

Jared raised his hand, grinning, "I just learned this! Properties are set up, categorized– or zoned - for certain kinds of usage. When you have a downtown, that's usually a commercial zone for retail, services, business, and restaurants. Housing developments are zoned for residential use although there might be a small area zoned commercial for a gas station and grocery store.

"Office buildings are normally built in commercial zones and are not rated or zoned for residential use. There are areas where commercial and residential is mixed, like an urban downtown with apartments or lofts and office buildings, and sometimes there are apartment buildings with small commercial businesses on the first floor, like an office, coffee shop or store.

"So if a city or town has their office buildings rated only for commercial, they might need to legislate an emergency change to make it mixed so the office buildings can legally do the conversions. It's tied up with land usage, environmental issues and tax revenue. And there's a lot more to it."

Tim smiled, "Thanks, Jared. What I was thinking there is that there needs to be an official name attached to the movement to get people housed and employed again. Say we call it the Repatriation, the Settlement or the Sheltering and Employment movement. That gives governing bodies in states, cities and towns something to pin the changes on. It's not really something for us to worry about, just a detail."

"But we could add it to our ideas."

"Yeah, sure."

George had been thinking and came out with, "I know this didn't work well for Hurricane Katrina survivors but I don't see how it can be avoided – trailers."

Pete cleared his throat. "I helped move a lot of those trailers into Louisiana and many of them didn't look all that habitable in the first place and then help for permanent housing seemed to either melt away or was widely disorganized. I would hope FEMA learned its lesson there but no idea."

"And we have millions more people who need help now. This is going to take years and a focused effort, far more than FEMA." Geordie looked around, "Maybe instead of only relying on the government, maybe this needs to also be a real grass roots thing. We are a nation, a huge community; maybe it's time for each citizen, or resident, to step up to help. Not just money, but ideas, time and whatever resources people have. Maybe people who have homes can sponsor a family or two, help them get resettled. Again, doesn't have to be money but we know many people have extras of something – furniture, clothes, cars, food, time."

Jimmy nodded, "I remember after Katrina people took time off work and went to help."

Ginny Slater added, "We sent clothes in all sizes; clothes and shoes that would be suitable for Louisiana. And we donated caskets for the unfortunate ones who didn't make it."

"Something similar, a citizen's group."

"Groups, there will have to be several, probably every region of the country. Maybe each town adopts or sponsors former residents of a town destroyed in the attack. Kind of like a "sister" city only the purpose would be to help the sister city residents find new homes and job." That was from Missy Fuller.

Jared and Matt Crane had been quietly talking about something. Now Jared looked up, "What if every city and town went through and identified what empty houses, apartments, and buildings they have? Even parts of buildings, as Kayla said."

"You mean a survey?"

"Yes. Would that take a long time?"

Ryan, one of the Slater sons-in-law, spoke up. "Jared, Matt, I started my career working for city government. Ordinarily yes, there would be procrastination, dragging of feet, complaining about the Feds and red tape. But these aren't ordinary times and right now, everyone is emotionally involved in this and wants to help. So no, doing a quick survey wouldn't take a long time, especially if a deadline was given, say 1 week. It would only ask for numbers, for example the number of vacant houses, condominiums, apartments, mobile homes, offices. That gets sent in and then the towns would have a little longer for the next step, determining the number of bedrooms per house, apartment, mobile homes and the square footage of vacant offices. And it would need to be done electronically in a standard format, like one of Tim's spreadsheets, so the totals will be easy to get at."

Tim was thinking, "Each zip code does a survey. Zip codes can be sorted by state and county."

"Can we design the spreadsheet and send it in with our idea?"

"Absolutely!"

Kayla grinned, "Then let's begin!"

Everyone smiled, this was a good thing happening, pooling ideas to help.

Before anyone moved, Elaine spoke, "Hang on, there's something more I think we're missing. Other places people can live. We've talked about houses, apartments, office buildings and trailers, by which I believe you mean mobile homes?"

Pete nodded, "That's what I hauled to Louisiana, yes."

"All right, but what about RVs and travel trailers? People can live in those temporarily. What about vacation homes? I know not everyone has them but those that do, couldn't they sponsor a family to stay in one until they have a job and find their own housing?"

"Should we add those to our survey?"

Elaine shook her head, "Not the vacation homes. I just wanted to make sure we covered all types of housing."

Tim looked at his parents and got nods, "You're right, Elaine, and we need to include motels, bed and breakfasts, hotels, it's possible they could spare some rooms for a few months. And places like ours. Once all of us here have roofs over our heads we may have rooms and the Ortizes might too, although they partially make their living with their guesthouses so that's up to them."

"The shelter!"

"Ah, good point, Nick! And we know we're not the only multi-family shelter. The Ortizes' is bigger than ours and I'm sure there are others around the country."

Ned cleared his throat, "I have relatives in Arizona, in a senior housing development. Many of those people have RVs, travel trailers and an empty guest room or two. Some houses have separate guest quarters."

"Great, Ned, we'll add those into the ideas for housing."

Liz raised her hand, "I watch HGTV programming and I've seen shipping containers converted to homes, also there are those tiny houses. They wouldn't be useful for large families, but I've seen some that sleep four people."

Ducky smiled, "Those are great suggestions, Liz, and from what I hear those containers don't take long to convert. Old train cars can also be converted."

Kayla took off to get her tablet, followed by several of the others as the group dispersed. Ty looked at his father, "Can't people come stay with us?"

"You mean in the house?"

He nodded and Tim thought about it. "Maybe. Everyone that's here now is going to stay for a few weeks after we leave the shelter. But we'll probably have rooms available."

"We could stay in the barn."

"Hm, what would we do with Lia's crib?"

"Oh, it won't fit, will it?"

"It might, but your mom and I would have to climb over it to get in and out of bed and I'm not that good a climber anymore."

"And Mommy's tummy is getting bigger."

"Yes."

"Other people could stay in the barn?"

"If they don't need cribs, yes."

"Ok, that works."

"Ty, hang on. Let's figure this out now. How many rooms do we have in the guesthouses and the barn?"

They figured it out and then they figured out who would be staying with them after they left the shelter and where they'd stayed the night before they moved in. When they counted, they figured out most of the barn would be available, only two or three rooms might be occupied.

"Ok, kiddo, what do we need to do next?"

"Write it down?"

"Yes, write down your plan. However, before you send it in there's something to do first. Remember this is a family ranch, we all own it. Grandpa Mac, Poppy and Nonny, Granducky, the Palmers and the Gibbs aunts and uncles, Grandma and Grandpa Jerry and Uncle Tobias, plus Mom and me."

"Oh! We need to ask them first."

"Yes we do. How would you like to do that?"

"Can we have a meeting?"

"We sure can. How about we do that in the classroom, there's room for all of us in there."

"Do we have to ask the teachers?"

"How about you do that and then if they say yes, you and Brynie can tell all the Gibbses, your Bishop grandparents, Granducky and the Palmers that there's an owners' meeting."

"Ok. Daddy, you left out Uncle Toby and Emily. Aren't they supposed to be there?"

"Yes and thanks for catching that!" He stood, "All right, let's go ask."

By this time, it was late afternoon. Jazzy, Shannon and Eileen were in the classroom talking and looked up with smiles when Tyler and Tim entered the large room. Ty smiled, "We have a favor to ask. Would you mind if all the ranch owners use the classroom for a few minutes? I have an idea."

Agreeing to his request, his Nonny stayed while the other two left and Ty ran out to tell his sister and start telling the owners. Shannon looked at her son, "Tim, what's going on?"

"Ty has an idea, Mom, and we figured out some details but need to ask permission of all the owners before he submits it."

"An idea to help?" When Tim nodded, she grinned, "That's our boy, a chip off the old block!"

Tim looked out into the common area and watched as his two older children told people there was an owners' meeting in the classroom. Lia was playing with some foam blocks in the nursery corral but stopped, squealing when she saw her daddy; Tim scooped her up and brought her with him into the classroom.

When the owners assembled, they looked at Tim expectantly. He smiled and waved Ty up to the front of the assembly. "Ty has an idea to help but we need your approval."

Ty looked at him with wide eyes and then took a deep breath. "I asked Daddy if some people who need help could stay here. And he said most everyone is going to stay here after we leave the shelter. We remembered where everyone stayed before and counted rooms. Daddy says Grandpa Jerry, Grandma and the Bishop Uncles, Aunts, and Cousins will move home to Tahlequah when it's safe so their rooms will be empty. Anyway, we counted and 33 rooms in the barn will be empty. And then he said we had to ask because a lot of people own the ranch, not just Poppy and Nonny." He stopped and took another breath. "And people can stay in the shelter too."

His father nodded, "Thank you, Tyler, those are excellent ideas. Now let's see what everyone thinks."

They talked about it for several minutes, wanting to make sure they understood. Sarah and Bob, Geordie and Bec and the DiNozzos would need to live in the main house or they could each take a guesthouse. That wouldn't work for the DiNozzos though, although the Colonel chuckled. "I can sleep in the library in the ranch house. Mac, Don and I shared a room before. Oh it was the playroom, that woman took the library."

'That woman' referred to Toni Ware. Although they'd offered Pete a home with them until her situation was settled, he'd declined with thanks.

"Still, Arin will need his own room once your baby arrives; at least until he or she sleeps through the night."

Ellie stood, "Let's count rooms and beds in the main house. Shannon and Jethro's room is 1, ours is 2, Kelly and Haley, if you don't mind sharing again is 3, Rob and…Rob, who did you share with before?"

"Mateo, and I don't mind sharing again; I don't even know how often I'll be here once I find a new job. The rooms are very large; in fact, we could probably fit Ned and his bed in there too. If he doesn't mind sharing. And uh, Ali wants to stay around too."

Tim bit back a smile; Rob's family had paid as much attention to Rob and Ali's ripening friendship as they had to Kelly and Mateo's. They all thought it was funny that both were lawyers or in Mateo's case an aspiring lawyer. Their father had smacked his forehead, saying, "Be careful who you make rules against, they'll sneak into your life somehow!"

"The bachelors' quarters then, or you three could share a guesthouse."

"That would work too, except if we stay in the house that would leave a guesthouse for an evacuated family. And don't forget the guys; they'll need jobs and a few paychecks before they can move out. And Lu will need a place, she says she might get a part-time job to supplement her pension but she wants to stay in the area."

They nodded at that. Bill already had a job lined up with Ortiz Construction. Several of Steve's crew had gone to stay with family or friends in other parts of the U.S., Canada and Mexico to wait out the danger and he didn't know who would return or when. Bill had e-mailed him before they left DC; Steve checked his references and offered him work. Barry had already applied to the Albuquerque Police Department while Jose and Freddie would also have work from Ortiz Construction and were making plans to restart their plumbing business.

They finished figuring out the rooms, making sure to include the Palmers, Ducky, the Slaters, Vances, Fornells, and as Rob reminded them, their five friends from Baltimore. In the end, they realized they'd have two empty guesthouses in addition to the 33 'bunkrooms' in the barn. That brought up another idea for the barn: removing some of the larger beds and replacing them with whatever was needed, cribs, single beds or even bunk beds.

Mel raised her hand, "I don't have to stay in the barn. If there's an extra bed somewhere, that's fine with me!"

They shouted her down, Shannon saying, "No, you aren't going to be sloughed off to an 'extra bed'!"

Maisie had arrived with Sarah and now she leaned forward, reaching over Bec to pat Mel. "Mel, why don't you and I share a room?"

"Thanks Maisie, that'll be great!"

Tim frowned as he tried to remember who else had stayed in the barn. Finally, he asked Mel who gave a little laugh, "Tobias and Ned."

"Oh right; huh that seems like months ago."

They laughed because it was months ago, two months.

Tobias and Emily hadn't decided what they were going to do yet. Emily liked Albuquerque, what she'd seen of it, better than Las Vegas where her mother lived and thought she'd transfer to a college in New Mexico. She didn't want to be too far away from her dad and she loved the Gibbs family, feeling part of them, almost like another daughter, albeit a much younger one. Besides, she had plans for her father and a certain Gibbs in-law.

While Tobias didn't want to miss anything, he wasn't horribly enthusiastic about sleeping or trying to sleep in a house with 4 infants. He'd already requested a guesthouse and one was tagged for him. He had some ideas about a certain new addition to the Gibbs' clan. They'd hit it off pretty well during the caravan and after they moved into the shelter but a sealed space shared with 82 other people wasn't the most convenient place to have a romance. If this ever got that far. Despite their disparate careers, they shared several interests; he really enjoyed Mel's company and knew she felt the same about him.

By the end of the meeting the owners agreed to Ty's idea of offering housing, once it was safe to live outside the shelter, including two of the guesthouses and all 35 of the bunkrooms in the barn.

In the meantime, the rest of the young adults, teens, and the younger children were working on their suggestions. Matt and Jared listed all the items they wanted on their survey and then asked Ryan to look at it. He changed some wording to be more precise, explaining his phrasing would be familiar to city workers but that was the only change; he thought it was a wonderful idea and good to go.

Jazzy asked the two young men to write a cover letter explaining their idea. They explained their plan, wrote that the survey was attached and that cities and towns across the country could get started on the count while everyone waited to be released from shelters or returned to the U.S.

Shannon helped Ty write up his idea, ensuring it stayed in his voice. He too explained his idea, detailing the meeting. He mentioned that the rooms in the barn all had queen or king beds but that his family could move some of those out and put bunk beds or singles in for people with children.

When his plan was written up, he showed it to Kayla who cheered when she saw what he'd done. "Tyler, this is exactly what I meant, that people could figure out ways to offer beds, rooms or whatever they have to those whose homes got blown up."

His lip trembled and she pulled him in for a hug, "I know, Ty, our house got blown up too. I'm just so glad you had the ranch to shelter all of us."

He nodded and then smiled, "And when it's safe, Daddy will put the pool up!"

"Yay! That'll be great! Did they bring that dome thing?"

"I think so."

"Then we can swim all winter too."

"Kay, are you going to stay with us or go away to college?"

"Both, Ty. There's a university in Albuquerque that's the best school for my career goals. I'll live there during the week and come home on the weekends. Dad and Lara will eventually find a house in town but your dad and mine will still work together so we'll see each other. Jared wants to go to UC San Diego, in California. We lived there when we were growing up and he's always wanted to go back. But he'll be home for holidays and summer vacations."

"I hope everyone stays."

She hugged him again, "We won't go too far away even when we leave the ranch, Ty. We're family."

He nodded, happy although he wasn't sure how far away California was. He'd look on his globe.

During Leon's meeting the next day, he asked where to send suggestions for housing those who'd lost their homes in the blast. When Secretary Porter was curious, he explained the ideas and efforts of his shelter mates. Nodding in approval, his boss said to send everything to her and she'd make sure it got to the right people. They spoke again after the meeting and she told Vance who she believed would be heading it up, overseeing the huge effort.

After reading the suggestions, she texted Leon requesting a Skype call that evening and asking to meet everyone who'd worked on them. She congratulated each of them saying she was impressed and would be sending their suggestions directly to the President's Chief of Staff.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who has read, 'kudo'd' and commented! I'm glad you didn't read the first few chapters and 'run for the hills' or hide under your beds! Two chapters after this one and then we'll move on to the fourth and last story in this series.

Chapter 30

Sheltered, Weeks 12-14 Post Attack, Sept. 26th - Oct. 9th, 2019

Tim woke early the next morning with two thoughts on his mind: the 73,749  
people who'd died and the test of the stairs and main level of the house.

This time Mac would suit up and go through the same process the Colonel had. If the main level also tested with low numbers, the group, including the four pregnant women, could venture into the basement and the first floor of the house. The second and third floors would also need testing but the scientists in the community  
agreed they could be tested together. This was a good thing about to happen. Tim was full of hope that the numbers would be low.

While logically he knew the number of fatalities was a fraction of the millions who had been saved, he mourned them, wondering how and why they'd failed to evacuate. Some probably hadn't believed the threat was real; some likely too scared to do anything. He wondered if the names would ever be released.

Ellie was sound asleep as he slipped on the clothes he'd pulled from his dresser and hung  
on one of the hooks on the wall last night. Padding quietly to the 'Tar' coffeemaker, he plugged it in and hit the Brew button, knowing his father would have set it up before turning in last night. In minutes, his mug was full and he retreated to the library, feeling the need for privacy.

Jethro woke when he smelled the coffee, the 'tarfee' he, Tim, Maggie, Jim, and Dave drank. Maggie wouldn't be drinking it for several months. He smiled at that, four new grandbabies!

Then he frowned in concern. While he hoped it was one of the others up so early, it was only 0430, he was afraid it was his Tim. He'd worried about his reaction to the death toll. He'd seen his face yesterday. Everyone was upset but he feared Tim would take it personally, that he should have done more, just as he'd solved the last cipher and worked on the program for the body count. He was in too deep and it was time for his father to make him aware of that, to give him the support he needed.

In the old days, Boss might have smacked him on the head and quoted rules 10 and 11, don't get personally involved and walk away when the job's over. But this was his child who was hurting so much that he couldn't let go and this was too big. He and Shannon had worked some simple numbers last night and he was prepared to quote the results to his firstborn.

Following his nose, he found Tim in the library, sitting on Ducky's leather sofa. His right arm on the arm of the sofa, his head was bent, held with one hand on his forehead. His eyes were open although he didn't acknowledge his father's entrance and Jethro thought he was probably too deep in his thoughts to notice the door opening. He set the coffeepot and his own empty mug on a small table, sliding in next to his son and wrapping his arms around him.

"Let me hold you, son."

"Dad, why were there so many? Why would they stay?"

"I don't know kiddo. Stubborn, too scared, disbelieving, too old, too sick, too lonely?"  
He pulled Tim's head up and kissed him. "Timothy, do you think you're a superhero or someone with superpowers?"

"No."

"Do you think you're God or some sort of superior being?"

"No! Dad?"

"How many people did you tell to get out of town?"

Tim shrugged and his father nodded, he was ready with the numbers.

"Was it at least 20?"

"Yes."

"Had to be because you sent your entire department of 30 out of harm's way. But let's stick with 20. Those 20 told 20 other people, that's 400 people saved. And each of those 400 told another 20, that's 8,000 saved. In five iterations of 20 telling 20, the number is 3,200,000 people who were told to get out, to get away. You're directly responsible for that, for over three million people being saved. _You_. Multiply it out, Timomine, even if everyone didn't tell 20 other people, there are still over a million people living and breathing today because of you."

Tim sat in thought and then curling his lips in, started to cry. His father held him in his arms, rocking him, comforting him as best he could. Some days he wanted to dig Dan McGee up so he could tell him just what he'd done. Not just for his part in Tim's kidnapping or giving a spy free admittance to classified information but even more for the way he'd dumped responsibility on Tim. For his younger brother, sister, even the household. He left his two young sons in the hands of a stranger while he went off to sea for months on end. Tim had had no childhood to speak of; from the time Patrick was born when he was 15 months old, he'd been handed responsibilities that never ended.

Jethro would never understand how McGee could have been so blind as to think Natalie was  
doing anything to help or nurture his children. He'd left his boy too vulnerable and when it was  
too late for Dan to come to his senses, his son, their son, was abandoned with Sarah. He'd asked the Navy for help, the only thing he still remembered to do. No one had ever helped him before but he knew the Navy was supposed to.

Too bad he hadn't known about NIS, Franks would have rescued all four of them from the streets. But he hadn't and the Navy ignored him. Now Jethro wondered why Tim hadn't known about NIS. That was another strike against McGee. And all the money paid to Tim and Sarah could never erase or in any way erase the worry, fear, pain, hunger, abuse and overwhelming responsibility Tim had been forced into for 9 long years.

But then Tim had always had to figure things out for himself; his father was rarely there  
and Sarah, like Patrick, was and always had been his responsibility. When he was grown, Tim transferred that to sailors, Marines, and their dependents. And now to the residents of the greater DC metropolitan area. This had to stop before it ate him alive.

As the tears stopped, Tim rubbed his face on his father's shirt, sniffing and snuffling a little before asking, "How'd you know?"

"Been worried since you told me. How many weeks did you carry that around? Under orders not to tell anyone, not even Leon, not even Jerry when he told you a rumor that had almost as much information as you did. That's not how you operate. By the time you told me, you were already obsessing over supplies. I couldn't believe you and Jerry went out and bought a shelter and generators, just like that. Until I got it through my thick head that this was real, I was more worried about you than the threat of a nuclear attack. You're mine. My son, always have been, even when we didn't know, even when I was an asshole. Your mother still comments about how well you and Tony know me - and that goes both ways, Timson. I know you and once I knew your background, all the crap you've been through I started to understand what makes you tick.

"If you had your way, you'd bring home every foster child, every orphan, every person who needs help, love, a family. And you'd take care of them, because that's what you do. Today you're mourning the fraction of a percent you think you missed. My sweet son, they weren't your responsibility. First, you didn't bomb anyone; you did not kill them. Secondly, you made sure all of us, your family and friends, were safe along with a good number of strangers. We were your responsibility, your priority, your wife, kids - family. Thirdly, you are the one responsible for helping the government move nearly 40 million people out of danger in time. _You_. You're the one that remembered the information and found it in a book. Nobody else on the NSA team, _you_. You said 'July 4th and I don't know what time zone, it could be as much as 17 hours ahead of DC time'. That was all you. And then you called back to tell Benson about the language professor who lied. You saved millions of people and named one of the bad guys.

"Timothy, those 73,749, we'll probably never know why they didn't leave. I'm sure there were elderly or terminally ill folks nearing the end who wanted to die at home. Probably drunks and addicts that had already resisted efforts to help them. I remember hearing about that, how some of the buses had social workers on them to try to persuade the derelicts to get on. And others who didn't want to leave, some of those might have built shelters hoping they were far enough out of the blast zone. Others might have hidden in their basements or old bomb shelters left from the '50s and '60s. We don't know and for whatever reason they stayed, it was likely _their_ choice. Not your failure, their choice.

"The evacuation was historic; no one's ever pulled off something like that, moving nearly 40 million people hundreds, thousands of miles in less than a week. Focus on the success of that, Tim. And the help our country received - is still receiving. Focus on us here, how well we've coped. Be thankful we heard Pete that night, that Rick reached Toni in time, stopped her from hurting him any worse than he was. Look at the good things, Timothy. Start letting it go, son, before it eats your soul."

Still cuddling with his father, wrapped in his strong arms, Tim took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He was a little embarrassed, here he was over 40 and he just wanted to stay wrapped up in his daddy's arms. He didn't want to think about the people who'd died. It was too big and Dad was right, he couldn't let it eat him alive.

He took another breath, thinking about his need for his father. He'd gone without a father for so many years he supposed he was still making up for lost time. Funny that he hadn't realized how much he missed having a dad until he met Gibbs. With a tired smile, he snuggled closer, shut his eyes and promptly fell asleep, exhausted. Jethro soon dozed off too.

When Uncle Dave got up at 0530 he was puzzled to find the 'Tar' coffeepot missing. Just finishing her morning walk, Maggie tapped him on the shoulder. "It might be in the library; I heard two people snoring in there and smelled coffee nearby." She frowned, "Jethro's been worried about Tim. Maybe they're in there."

He nodded, "That's good; I've been worried about him too. I realize I don't know adult Tim all that well yet but he's pretty intense."

Maggie smiled sadly, "He's not usually as intense as he's been these last few months. It's this whole thing; it's been a huge strain on him. He knew about the threat for months before he could say anything. He's focused at work, we all are, but since this started it seems like he can't relax for more than a few minutes at a time."

"Yeah, high level lethal threats would make me pretty intense too. Wonder if I could sneak in and retrieve the coffeepot without waking them up?" "

She chuckled, "How about I go get it?" She turned and headed across the common area to the library, quietly easing the door open. Her heart melted when she saw her brother-in-law curled up with his father and she hoped some fatherly love was what he needed to nudge him into letting go of his worries. As she grabbed the empty coffeepot, her father-in-law opened his eyes, giving her a smile. Leaning over, she kissed the top of his head, quickly departing.

Back in the kitchen, she handed the pot to Dave, "They're asleep; maybe the smell of their 'tarfee' will wake them."

He chuckled, "It'll wake Jim and probably Geo. He's a closet tarfee drinker."

She laughed, "Of course, he's a Marine. I miss the caffeine a lot, had a withdrawal headache for a week. Lucky for me Jimmy came prepared! Ellie has a tea she's sharing with the rest of us, it's fine but I don't think I'll ever switch permanently. As soon as the baby is weaned, I'm back on tarfee!"

"Hope you learn to like tea in the meantime, Maggie, it's gonna be awhile!"

Tim woke when the smell of bacon drifted across the common area to the library. Bacon was a rare treat, courtesy of the pork Jerry had cut and frozen more than two months ago. Now Tim thought Tobias and Barbara, their cooks of the day, had added it to cheer everyone up after yesterday's sad news.

Before he moved, he took stock and found he was sad but not as wrecked as he'd felt earlier. Leave it to his father to know what was wrong and help him. He'd talk to Ellie about it later. Right now, he wanted more coffee and some of that bacon.

Jethro smiled as he waited for his son to finish his thoughts and get up. His eyes already looked clearer although it would take time.

He patted his back, kissing his head, "You ready to get up, Elf Lord? I'm starving!"

His answer was Tim's tummy rumbling and they both chuckled. Stopping to clean up, they soon joined the other early birds, including Mac. He was all smiles, excited about the tests he'd be doing. He was also happy because Google Earth, or rather the atmosphere, had cleared enough for him to see his house in Fenwick. It was still standing although the windows were broken and the fence that gave his patio a little privacy was gone. The Victorian across the street was also still standing, although its windows were also broken and only part of the roof survived.

When Rob looked for the family cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains, he and Mac were astounded to find it also standing. The windows were also broken and the roofs on the shed and cabin looked like a giant potato peeler had been run roughly across them but the buildings were still there, still existed.

As Jethro and Mac talked about their vacation homes, they wondered how long it would be until they could visit them. Mac was privately glad he'd rewritten his will to include his reclaimed family and the Fenwick house as well as the apartment he owned in Florida. The kids could sell that when the time came but he hoped the beach house would stay in the family and be used for decades, maybe even generations to come.

What he hadn't told anyone was that when he bought the house, he'd also purchased  
the empty lots on either side of him so there was plenty of room to expand. He hoped he'd live long enough to visit the place again, he associated it with happy times and he'd love to see his whole family on the beach.

After the early shift breakfast cleanup, Tim and Mac disappeared into his room to get his hazmat suit on. He had a packet of wipes with him to clean up on his way back in and as the Colonel had, wore a pair of shorts and a tee shirt underneath the suit. He'd leave a pair of slip-ons in the tunnel to put on after he removed the booties, boots, and the suit. They'd left a chair covered in one of Tim's black trash bags, in the tunnel for him, one of the things the Colonel recommended for changing.

Geo knocked on the door and ran through the breathing procedure while Tim ran through the monitoring process. Mac was fine with everything and anxious to get going. He'd go out through the tunnel and walk through the basement to the staircase, taking a reading halfway up and another at the top. He'd take a third reading at floor level right inside the front door of the house, a fourth in the middle of the main floor and a fifth one held at floor level in the same area. There was a fair amount of redundancy but his grandson wanted as much information as they could gather.

His grandchildren, daughter, son-in-law and two eldest great-grandchildren escorted him to the tunnel, Jethro entering it with him. Leaving the overhead light on, Jethro watched him walk toward the airlock and then hurried back into the shelter, bolting the door after him. As excited as he was, Mac concentrated on the job at hand and soon found himself in the basement.

Standing on dirt, that was exciting! Chuckling at himself, he slowly climbed the stairs, stopping halfway to take a reading. On the top step, he took another one and then stepped into the house. Pulling out a transfer pipette, he followed the same procedure as the Colonel, taking an air sample. Finished, he tucked the phial away, moving to his next stop - the main  
floor of the house.

While Mac was busy, his family and friends paced the common area. Tim provided an estimate of the time he'd be out of the shelter, padding it a bit; his mother kept her eyes on the big clock on the back wall of the kitchen the entire time.

Mac finished his last reading and sighed, he was done with the fun parts, now he had to go back downstairs, through the tunnel, following procedures to wipe everything down and into the shelter. He really hoped these numbers were as good as the readings Richard, the Colonel, took.

They'd been all right in the shelter as long as they knew it wasn't safe to be anywhere else. Now that they knew the basement was safe, people were beginning to get restless. Even though it wasn't 'outside', being in the house sounded wonderful.

Back inside, using wipes to clean everything, he left his suit on the chair, to be wiped down later. Knocking on the shelter door, he laughed as he was pulled inside by his daughter. Jerry took the monitor from him while Jethro handled the phial with the air sample. After checking Mac's numbers, which were good, Tim and Ducky once again disappeared into the tunnel to run their tests. When they emerged, their smiles gave them away and their shelter mates cheered.

Three days later when Mac's numbers were the same as they'd been pre-test and pre-shelter, Maisie suited up after insisting she be allowed to help. It was only fair as her three contemporaries had already had their turn and she'd trained with Mac and Richard.

Two of her grandsons went through the final check of procedures with her although Claire and Liz helped her with the suit. She was gone longer than Mac but they were prepared for that, she was taking readings and air samples of the second and third floors of the house.

Ducky, Jim and Tim paced together while Mac and the Colonel worked very hard not to laugh at them. Finally, she knocked on the door and re-entered the shelter to the applause and cheers of all 82 of her shelter mates, including the babies. Ducky pulled her into a kiss before her personal numbers were read.

That brought more cheers and a few catcalls while Jimmy and Tim smirked at each other; it seemed the ties between the Mallard clan and the Gibbs-Hubbard clan were growing much stronger. The babies squealed again, thrilled that everyone was making happy noises.

As the kiss continued, Claire approached her mother-in-law and with her gloved fingers carefully maneuvered the radiation monitor off her shoulder and the phial with the air sample out of a pouch she wore around her waist. With a laugh, she handed both to Tim and Mel who'd also gloved up and were impatiently waiting to test.

As the two headed for the tunnel, they turned when the crowd noise grew again. Ducky had pulled back and stood with his arms still around his love.

"Maisie Stirling McNeil Hubbard, will you please marry me? I lost you once when I was a young and stupid fool, now we've found each other again after all these years and my love for you is even stronger. I want to make you happy for the rest of our years."

Maisie smiled happily, "Yes, Donnie, I'll marry you."

While the crowd roared, Mel watched her friend Tim, seeing he was torn. But it would be better to give folks two rounds of good news; he turned and followed Mel into the tunnel, still grinning.

In a very few minutes they were back with the anticipated good news. First, Grammie's numbers were good. Second, the numbers from the second and third levels of the house were also quite good. Below X-ray levels, far enough below that the four pregnant women, the babies and everyone else could safely visit each floor of the house.

Of course, they'd have to wait the standard three days to ensure Maisie's numbers didn't  
change for the worse but they'd already waited nearly twelve weeks, what were three more days?

Quite naturally, the answer was an eternity. They'd thought the waits after the Colonel and Mac's tests were interminable but this was worse! With freedom so close, every minute they had to wait seemed an hour long. Yes, the freedom would be limited and yes they'd been quite comfortable in their deluxe shelter but now everyone craved wooden floors or a soft carpet, windows to the outside world, they'd be able to see the sun and the moon! There would be a little privacy, showers and baths.

They'd still be sleeping in the shelter, quite likely eating in it too as the shelter kitchen was built to accommodate 100 people and the house kitchen was most definitely not. And the children and young adults would still be attending classes in the shelter, their instructors with them. The older kids were in fact dreading having to return to a 'normal' school where they wouldn't have as much individual help and attention.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Sheltered, Weeks 12-14 Post Attack, Sept. 26th - Oct. 9th, 2019, continued

A few people didn't notice the seemingly slow passage of time. The babies and young Teddy were quite happy where they were and as long as their routine wasn't disrupted, they were cool. The other two were the newly engaged couple. They were busy figuring out the logistics of legally marrying while everyone in New Mexico was still living underground. Although they'd probably be released from their shelter soon, they didn't want to wait any longer than they already had.

Luckily, they weren't the first sheltered couple to decide on marriage. The county clerk, living underground with her family, was easily accessible by cell, landline, and e-mail. When she saw Ducky and Maisie's e-mail asking if there was a way for them to be married while still sheltered, she called them.

As the county clerk, she had permission from the state and county government to legally marry couples via phone line or video chat. There was legal precedence; military personnel were married via phone and now through real-time video chats to their significant others back home. As long as there was a legal officiant and the license was signed by both parties and witnessed, the marriage was legal.

To facilitate the process the clerk scanned a marriage license form onto the county website. If possible, the newlyweds could print it out, sign it, have their witnesses sign, scan it back in and send it to the clerk. If they had no means to scan or manually sign, they filled it in, using their electronic signatures and e-mailed it back to the clerk.

So on Day Two of Three of Waiting for Maisie's Numbers, as people thought of it, the 'boys' moved one of the large screen TVs to the common area where they would connect it to Tim's laptop.

Starting the previous evening, Day One of Three, Elaine, Barbara and Breena began creating a multi-tiered cake with one layer chocolate, one layer vanilla, a third layer fudge and the top, smallest layer was a marbled chocolate and vanilla. The entire cake was iced in creamy caramel frosting and then covered to help retain moisture and keep everyone out.

In the meantime, Jazzy, Lara and Eileen helped the younger children make a bread dough bridal couple for the top of the cake. First, they measured how big the figurines should be and then helped the kids form limbs, heads and bodies and attach them. Jazzy made the hands, feet (shaped into shoes) while Eileen and Lara worked on the faces. Once the figures were baked, cooled and hardened, they were painted, including a bow tie for the groom and a string of pearls for the bride.

While her fellow teachers worked on the bread dough bridal couple, Shannon made another decoration. Using a plastic headband donated by Brynie and first sterilizing it, the band was held up so the kids could measure the height of the bread dough couple. Once that was done, the band was covered in white material and padded so it looked like a tiny sturdy arch and not a covered headband. With help from Sarah, Kelly and Ainsley, green fabric coated craft wire was carefully wrapped around the arch like a vine. Small paper flowers, made by the children in all the colors of the construction paper, paint and crayons they had, were glued on the vine. The arch and the bread dough bridal couple were now ready for the top of the cake.

At 2:00 on Day Two of Three, the engaged couple disappeared to change into their wedding clothes. While Maisie didn't have a dress with her that was appropriate for a wedding, Mel did - a long, sleeveless cream-colored A-line dress. They were close to the same height so no hemming was needed although their shapes were a little different. No matter, their former professional seamstress loved a challenge and weddings; in less than two hours, Lara had the dress altered, pressed and ready to fit Maisie. She used stitches that could be easily taken out so Mel could continue to wear her dress.

When Maisie thought she might be too chilly in the sleeveless dress, Claire gave her a newly completed crocheted light green shawl, made as a Christmas present for her. Liz loaned the bride a pretty pin that would hold the shawl together over her shoulders and arms. A pair of dressy flats loaned by Mindy Fuller completed her ensemble.

One more surprise awaited her. As she left her room, Callum, Ainsley, Hannah, Victoria, Teddy, Ricky, Bryn, Lia and Tyler presented her with a bouquet of paper and wire flowers. Touched, she kissed them all, insisting on having a photo taken.

Earlier, when Ducky worried about wedding rings, Ellie conferred with Tim. As her pregnancy progressed, she'd had to remove her rings when her fingers swelled. Now they offered her wedding ring to Ducky as a temporary ring for Maisie.

"It's a Gibbs' family heirloom, handed down from Grandma Anne's side of the family. This ring first belonged to Charlotte Stirling Baxter, Anne's mother."

Ducky smiled, "Thank you, children, that's most generous of you and of course there is the serendipity of Maisie and Great-Grandmother Charlotte both carrying the name Stirling."

Tim and Ellie looked at each other, neither had thought of that. They'd already cleaned the ring as best they could and Ducky tucked it away.

Now, before he left his room after dressing, he removed the ring his mother gave him upon completing his medical training, a gold signet ring with the Rod of Asclepius, the symbol for medicine, carved into it. He gave Ellie's ring to Jethro who would stand as his best man and his signet ring to Claire, Maisie's matron of honor.

Finally assembled in front of the big screen in the common area, everyone dressed in the most festive clothes available; Tim opened Skype, pinged the number he was given and was answered in seconds by the County Clerk. She smiled at the couple and the crowd behind them. "You two look beautiful and I see you have quite a crowd, lovely!"

In just a few minutes, Maisie and Ducky had exchanged their vows and the Clerk pronounced them husband and wife. The marriage license was already completed and printed out, now the witnesses, Jethro and Claire, signed and Tim faxed it to the County Clerk. That was accompanied by the happy cheers of the newlyweds' family and shelter mate.

Many photos were taken while Jacob and Elaine brought out the feast they'd prepared, with help from Tony, Tobias, Barbara and Tim. Tables and chairs had once again been brought in from the classroom and library so they could all eat together. A side table contained cutlery rolled in napkins, disposable plates, bowls and cups. This was only the second time they'd used disposable dishes and they were proud of the fact.

Rather than trying to come up with a typical wedding luncheon, Maisie and Ducky asked to keep it simple. The results may not have seemed simple to the diners but the cooks enjoyed the making of each dish. For appetizers, Fornell and DiNozzo served toasted slices of freshly baked bread topped with plum ripe tomatoes, minced cloves of fresh garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and chopped fresh basil leaves. The tomatoes, garlic and basil leaves were fresh from their garden. The bruschetta was accompanied by snap peas, also shelter grown, with three kinds of dipping sauce, made by Tim.

Their entrée was lasagna, a group favorite, made from scratch with homemade pasta, courtesy of DiNozzo, and tomato sauce recently canned by Shannon and Liz. The onions and garlic that went into the dish were also homegrown. The beef had been provided by Jerry Bishop two months ago. The former diner oven was used to bake the entrée to perfection. While the parmesan cheese and spices came from cans and jars, the rest of the food was fresh.

After the appetizers, bowls of salad were passed around, family style. Once again, the ingredients, except for the dressings, were homegrown: romaine lettuce, baby spinach, grated carrots, slices of radishes, celery, and bits of radicchio. The lasagna was dished up by Jimmy, Breena and Sarah and carefully delivered by the Hubbard, Palmer and Gibbs children. Callum, Ainsley, Hannah and Victoria personally delivered their grandmother and grandfather's food. Beverages were on a side table where people could help themselves.

After they finished their feast, the plates were collected and the group was given additional cups while bottles of sparkling beverages were passed around. Within a few minutes, everyone stood with their drink and raised their glasses while Jethro and Claire toasted the newlyweds.

After the Mallards ooh'd and ahh'd over the cake, they made the first cuts and then Jim, Sarah, Tim and the Palmers took turns cutting pieces for the rest of them. Ducky beamed in appreciation when Jimmy and Eileen were given their own tasty entrees and desserts.

When the Mallards appeared in the common area the next morning, they noticed people were unusually happy to see them. When Tim approached with the radiation monitor, they remembered. Maisie laughed at the cheers when her numbers were the same as before the test.

Tim grinned at her, "Gram, thanks for volunteering and for marrying Ducky! And now," he turned to the crowd, "welcome to After!" He had to stop while the crowd roared their happiness.

Smiling, he finally continued, "We can add the house to our shelter! We'll need to continue sleeping in here because there's not enough room in the house and eating here because this kitchen is set up for all of us and the house isn't. For those who want to bathe, you know in actual water, we have a surprise. The shelter tank is also now supplying the house, so it's safe and the water company keeps track of the volume electronically.

"Before you all go dashing upstairs, consider this: the water heater is big but not 83 people big. There are 8 bathtub/showers in the house. Eight. After each set of eight people showers or bathes, the water heater will need 15 minutes to fill and heat again. What I suggest we do is sign up, just as we've done for everything else. Any questions?"

Ellie's cousin Trish raised her hand. "I do, Tim. If I have a bath instead of a shower and there are seven other people in the showers, may I stay in while the water heater recharges? Obviously I'd be out of the tub and bathroom before the next person's turn, just wondering."

Tim had to stop and think about that, then shook his head. "That's not my decision, Trish. Think it's a community question. Any other questions?"

Pete raised his hand, "Towels?"

"Uh, that's a good question, Pete. I remember telling your wife not to bring any since there wouldn't be showers or baths, we weren't considering After. But all of us from DC have towels and most should be upstairs, I know ours are and you can certainly use one of them. Show of hands, does anyone else need a towel?"

Ellie's brothers, Aunt Cissy and Uncle John raised their hands, their luggage, including towels, was locked in the guesthouses. Barbara laughed, "Tim, I have enough towels upstairs for all the Bishops."

"Thanks, Barb. Anyone else besides Pete?" He turned to Lara. "What about your family?"

She smiled, "Before we took shelter, Leon brought our bag with towels and sheets to the house."

Leon nodded, "I did and it's in the library. We have our beach towels too so Pete, no worries about towels."

"There's shampoo, conditioner, and liquid body wash in each bathroom."

Pete smiled, "All right. So, 10 minutes for each shower or bath?"

"Until the community decides on the bath question."

Trish made a face, "Thinking again, I'll probably shower the first few times anyway. It's going to be wonderful to wash my hair in water."

For the most part, they'd been cleaning their hair with dry shampoo although occasionally people who'd brought water with them would siphon off enough to wash and rinse their hair.

"All right, so the answer to the bath question isn't needed today?"

He saw nods and turned to Pete, "Ok then, yes, 10 minutes of water for each person and 15 minutes in between each shift. People need time to dry off and dress, so say each person gets 25 minutes in the bathroom per 'bathing shift' and we may as well round that up to 30 minutes. And Trish, that answers your question. You can extend your bathing time as long as 1) you don't use any additional water, 2) you leave yourself time to dry off, get dressed and pack out your stuff before the next person's turn."

She nodded with a grin, "Thanks, cuz!"

"Can we leave our towels upstairs then or do we need to bring them down here? Because there's really not a lot more space down here."

"Any ideas?" He looked at Leon, trying his best not to roll his eyes. Lara started giggling and Tim took a deep breath. "Guys, gotta be honest, I have zero interest in being either the bath monitor or the laundry guru. I share laundry and kids' bath duties with my wife and that's it."

Jim was trying his best not to laugh at his nephew's dilemma. "Hey Tim, there's a washer and dryer upstairs, right? And several down here."

"Yeah."

"So everyone can worry about their own stuff as long as nobody's washing and drying one or two towels. Wash in hot water and wait until there's a full load, like the Navy does aboard ship." He looked at his nephew and chuckled, "I'll coordinate that, kiddo and I'm sure the Admiral will help."

"Thanks, Uncle Jim."

When someone else brought up the issue of cleaning the tubs and showers, all 8 of the bathrooms were added to the maintenance chore list.

Pete was sitting in front of someone's laptop, Tim thought it was Geo's and was hunting and pecking the signup sheet for bathing. When he showed it to Tim, the 30-minute rule was on the top with times set up with space for eight names at each time. Hooking up a printer, the sheet was printed and then pinned to the corkboard in the common area.

When his wife appeared, Tim waited impatiently while she ate and then gathered their kids, no school this morning in honor of the occasion, and holding hands, walked through the tunnel to the basement. Ty's face lit up, "Dirt, real dirt!"

"Yes, but not to play in. Not yet. Besides, you have a whole big playroom upstairs."

"That's right, I forgot."

Tim took Lia from Ellie as they started up the stairs. Brynie looked around, "We're out of the shelter, Daddy!"

"We are, Sweet Pea, for a few minutes anyway."

Ellie looked at him, "Can I take a nap up here? In our room on our bed?"

"Sure. I'll want to run your numbers when you come back downstairs."

Nudging him with her hip, she gave him a sultry look, "Timothy, you can run my numbers anytime."

He laughed at her, which felt good and led to other good thoughts. Ty and Brynie would be back in class after lunch and Lia would be napping. Maybe he and his wife could actually have some private time. Up here. Where the walls were soundproofed and there weren't 81 other people milling around. And their bedroom door had a lock. He made a mental note to say something about that. This was a private home and while he was willing to share bathrooms, he wasn't willing to have anyone poking around in their bedroom or worse, using it. Then he remembered the locks he and his dad installed and relaxed.

Ellie stopped on the second floor, letting Lia walk around while Tim, Brynie and Ty continued to the third floor. Tim chuckled to himself thinking about the rooms. Sarah picked her spot on the third floor before she and Bob were engaged. Rob and Kelly also had rooms up here while the DiNozzos', Palmers' and Perrys' rooms were on the second floor with Tim and Ellie's, the nursery and younger kids' rooms. Their parents' room was tucked in the back of the first floor, with rooms for Mac, the Colonel, Fornell and Ducky, although now that would be Ducky and Maisie's room.

Tim guessed that meant Mel could have the room Maisie had used. And the nursery was going to have to be carefully arranged to fit four additional babies. Although little Mac would sleep in a bassinet in his parents' room by night and in the nursery in his crib by day; once he slept through the night, he'd be in the nursery. Lia would be 16 months by the time her little brother was born; she'd remain in the nursery until she was at least two. The Palmers planned to eventually enlarge one of the guesthouses into a full-size dwelling for them. They wanted to be close to Ducky and wanted their kids to grow up with the Gibbs' kids.

Tim smiled when his phone peeped with a text from Steve. With no tunnel, they were stuck in the shelter until it was safe to go outside. Now Steve was curious, he hadn't heard anything from his friends in a couple of days. Laughing, Tim sent him a long text about the impromptu wedding, with photos and the numbers in the house.

Having seen a bunch of locked rooms, the kids wanted to join their mother in their rooms. They'd been able to see out of the windows in the hallway but wanted more and Tim felt the same way. On the second floor, they found Ellie in the bedroom, sitting at the window with Lia.

"There you are. Come see what the world looks like now."

The kids squished in with her until Tim took Brynie; they could see over everyone else. Looking out he saw some of the vehicles, the covers they'd left on them covered in blackish gray stuff. Fallout. He was so thankful his father thought of advising people to buy car covers or large tarps so the engines and interiors wouldn't have radioactive soot drifting in.

He was startled to see Pete's moving van; he'd forgotten it was here. The cab and engine were covered, that was good. His old Buick Enclave was there too and he could just see their van in the sea of vehicles. They'd disconnected the batteries on their way into the shelter two months ago; he hoped the vehicles would start once they were reconnected and a little fresh fuel added. And move once they were started, he was willing to bet the tires were all flat. But they had an air compressor that would take care of that.

He figured 'outside' was at most two or three weeks away and then people could leave. The Rourkes would continue their journey west, Pete would go home, the Slaters would resume their business plans and people could start looking for housing elsewhere.

The Bishops would be here a little longer as Tahlequah was several degrees farther east. That was fine with Tim; he was hoping they'd be here until the baby's arrival, Brynie's 6th birthday and maybe through Christmas. He wouldn't mind if they stayed with them permanently but knew that wasn't likely to happen. Jerry and Barbara had a bedroom of their own here so they could come and go but they probably wouldn't see John, George and their families more than a few times a year. As awful as all this had been, the Gibbses and the Bishops become closer. Ellie loved having her family with her and Tim felt he knew her parents, his brothers-in-law and their families very well now.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> p>One more chapter to go! The sequel to this, currently titled 'After' will be posted at some time in the future as it needs work. In the meantime, I'm taking us back to the "At What Price" universe for a new 3 chapter (!!) story that will be posted after "Fallout" is completed...probably the end of this week.  
> 

Chapter 32

Sheltered, Weeks 12-14 Post Attack, Sept. 26th - Oct. 9th, 2019, continued

Inside the Ranch House

Still at the window in their bedroom, Tim made a mental note to talk with Bec about expanding their garden into the basement until they could safely plant outside. Looking beyond the vehicles, the landscape looked the same, the guesthouses, barn and several trees. However, most of the trees looked like they were having problems and Tim guessed that was due to the fallout. The cleansing rains of the North American monsoon hadn't come quite soon enough or perhaps they'd carried more fallout with them. Bec would know more; in the meantime, Tim clung to the memory of flora and fauna returning to Chernobyl.

Ellie tapped him on the knee, "Come on, let's go back down; little Mac is hungry."

They all laughed and then Brynie asked when they could sleep in their rooms. "I'm not sure, sweet pea. Maybe once we can go outside."

She nodded. She didn't mind their room at the shelter and she really liked school, the playroom, having all her grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends in the same place. But she missed being outside. "Daddy, when we can go outside again, will the pool be ready?"

"We don't know yet, Brynie. We might need to wait until spring."

"Because of the black stuff?"

"Yes. And because it might be extra cold this winter. Plus we'll have to keep bringing water in for everyone to drink and bathe, that costs money and I'm not sure we can spend more money on water for the pool. However, we have your wading pool, maybe we can put that up!"

She grinned, "That's good; Uncle Toby's feet can get cooled off!"

They all laughed at that. But mentioning Tobias and water made Tim think of Ruidoso. He wondered how late in the fall they could go. At home, he edited his thought to 'in Virginia', spring and fall owned the good weather. But Ruidoso was in the mountains, he'd have to look. Except they probably wouldn't be able to get away until October when Ellie would be 7 months pregnant. Probably not a good idea; for one thing she'd be pretty uncomfortable and he wouldn't want her so far from their doctors, for another the elevation was nearly 7000 ft. They'd wait until little Mac was on the outside and a few months old. Maybe for Ty and Dad's birthday next year, the baby would be nearly 10 months old by then. And again, if it was warm enough. He'd deliberately avoided looking online for any current information about 'nuclear winter'. Whatever it was, they'd know soon enough.

The Hubbards were just coming in from the shelter and tunnel as the Gibbses walked down the stairs into the basement.

Jim looked at his nephew, "How is it?"

The captain relaxed at the grins while Tim replied, "The world is still there. The guesthouses, barns, Pete's rig and all our vehicles!"

Ellie smiled at the family, "And the house is wonderful! No concrete and there are lots of windows!"

Tim nodded, "Make sure you go all the way up to the third floor, it's worth the climb. The bedrooms are locked but the windows in the hallway and bathrooms will give you a great birds'-eye view."

Five faces lit up and they hurried to the stairs. Ty looked around the basement. "There's a lot of dirt in here, Daddy, are we going to do something with this?"

Tim beamed at his son's question, loving the 'we'. "I'll talk with Aunt Bec about putting in another garden, son."

Ellie liked the idea. "We could grow more food crops in here. And have a sitting area larger than we have in the Garden room. And maybe a fountain?"

"Yes, that'd be great. And maybe put a row of small windows in. They'd be clerestory, up close to the ceiling but it would be nice to have some natural light and we could put electronic openers on them to get fresh air in here too. We can supplement with more grow lights."

Ty giggled, "If we have a fountain, we'll need a bathroom."

"Good idea! A half bath, no shower or tub."

Ellie pursed her lips, looking around. "I don't know. When it's safe to grow outside, we might want to do something different down here. Maybe move the playroom down here and convert the one upstairs into more bedrooms. We have space for our family but not really much for visitors."

Tim smiled, "Your brothers, for instance."

"Exactly! Or Jacob and Elaine when they come back to visit or Abby, Jim O'Brien, the Balboas. Even your staff when they move here."

He looked at her, blank faced. "Huh?"

"Come on, you know you'll need techs here. Managing your folks remotely is fine, but you'll need staff here too. And I doubt they'll be hard to find. Housing is much less expensive for one thing, the weather's good and as we all keep saying, it's fairly central to the rest of the country."

While he'd been thrilled when Leon gave him back his staff, he hadn't thought much further than that. He knew there was some negotiating going on for office space for them and that Vance wanted to make the city their headquarters until Congress, now operating via large video sessions, figured out where the new capital would be. And that was probably in the 20s on their list of top priorities. They'd already nixed the idea of waiting until they could rebuild DC. It would be rebuilt but not as the capital. No one liked the weather for one thing and many constituents wanted the capital to be more geographically centralized.

Tim surmised the Marshals weren't thrilled with the prospect of having NCIS in the same building. The nature of their work and of course, WITSEC made them a covert operation. The presence of field agents, Intel analysts and the rest of the staff along with the Secretary of the Navy, military personnel or the occasional senator or congressperson dropping in would not mesh well with the Marshals' mission. He thought NCIS might rent space there until Vance and the DoD found another building where they wouldn't have to worry about breaching the security of WITSEC.

In the meantime, with access to the house some of the NCIS staff could now work in the house library, leaving much-needed breathing room in the shelter library. An added bonus was the privacy for confidential calls.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

When it was bathing time for the Gibbs kids, Ty decided he wanted a shower while his sisters shared a tub bath. After the three of them were asleep, their parents returned to the house for their own showers. Tim was amazed at how wonderful it felt. They'd alternate using the NoAgua lotion and bathing with water but he was proud that they'd gone 12 weeks without using any water on their bodies. He made a mental note to do a review for the young developer and business owner of the product. 84 people using his product exclusively for 12 weeks - that had to be a milestone for the business.

While the mood had generally been positive in the shelter, except around the attack and Toni Ware's knifing of her husband, it was positively euphoric those first few days the house was open. Rick, Ned, Evan, Bob, and Jimmy moved up to the house to work while Tim, Ellie, Tony and Maggie alternated so that one of them would always be in the shelter when their children were there. The Slaters got busy planning the opening of their first Palmer-Slater mortuary in Albuquerque, writing ads and selecting where they'd be placed. Classes continued in the shelter as did the communal meals.

Because the satellite, cables and connections were still in place, the Gibbses resumed their TV satellite service at the house. Tim and Rob took it upon themselves to bring the cable through the tunnel into the shelter, adding lengths of cable as necessary and telling the service provider they'd be very happy to have a visit from a service technician when it was safe for anyone to travel. Having to roll with the situation, mostly just glad evacuated customers were starting to resume service, the company agreed.

The TV feed to the shelter was invaluable; otherwise, the house would have been crammed with shelter residents wanting to watch the news and various shows. And so life continued in their concrete cave and their new addition, the house.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

A few days after satellite service was restored, they watched a live broadcast of a Presidential address. They'd seen photos and videos of their president online but now they could see how much she'd aged in the long weeks since the evacuation and attack.

The news she delivered made them proud, angry, sad, bewildered and relieved. The people responsible for the attack had been identified, tracked down and captured. The ringleaders were several young men, in their 20s and early 30s, sons of oil billionaires with access to anything they wanted, including arms dealers, scientists, bomb makers, and all the components needed. Bored with their lives of partying and indolence, they hatched a plan, years in the making, to destroy the government of the United States so that its citizens would "once again be united and free of tyranny".

The attack had been launched from an island privately owned by a renowned billionaire; his son was the leader of the conspirators. The investigation had been international with many countries, allies or not, assisting with surveillance, information, raids and the final takedown. Of special note, the President said, were the governments traditionally hostile to the U.S. Those not willing to lend a hand committed to not blocking the investigation or releasing any information and kept their word. In that sense, there had been global cooperation.

Of the 15 key perpetrators, 7 resisted arrest, dying while evading capture. The 16th member of the group had been murdered several months before. Law enforcement agencies believed he was the whistle-blower, the one who leaked the encrypted files to the U.S. agents. They also believed that he was murdered when they were. The remaining eight perpetrators and their helpers would be tried at The Hague.

The billionaire fathers had also been investigated and three of those, not including the owner of the island, were implicated, arrested and would have their trials at The Hague. In addition to the ringleaders and the 3 fathers, 134 others had been arrested for their parts in the attack, ranging from arms dealers, scientists, those who provided components, to messengers and guards.

One of the 134 was a professor of ancient languages, teaching in the United States. He'd been consulted by the team of federal agents working to decrypt the files but lied about the languages used in the file and almost immediately fled the country. After the attack, he'd been apprehended by U.S. federal agents working overseas and brought back to the U.S. A naturalized citizen, he'd be tried for treason.

When Tim heard the attack had been launched from that damned island he'd reported to the President, he closed his eyes, resting his head on his hand. He hadn't participated in the investigation; he'd merely pointed it out as a possible launch site, finishing the job he'd been assigned by Secretary Porter and NSA Director Socrates Finch.

Then came the news about the professor and Tim shook his head. He'd been too late, the professor was long gone by the time they'd discovered his lie.

After the President finished speaking of the perpetrators, she paused. "I want to recognize our investigators, from our international agencies, Interpol…" she went on to name several international and domestic law enforcement agencies, "and finally, four people, four Americans, without whom many more of us, including my family and me, would most certainly have died in the attack. The two agents who were contacted by the whistle-blower in the group of conspirators, the former U.S. agent who couldn't save our agents but managed to get the thumb drive to us and finally the federal agent you've heard me reference a few times. He's personally responsible for at least 3,000,000 residents evacuating from the strike zones. He's also the one who broke the final cipher on the files and phoned Secretary Benson to tell us the planned date of the attack, mentioning the different time zones. The same one who minutes after the attack, from his shelter nearly 2000 miles from the blast zone, told me he'd calculated several regions where the missiles could have been launched. He was the one who pointed us to the private island, having run across it years ago during his team's search for a terrorist.

"All of these agents and law enforcement officials will tell you they were 'doing their jobs'. And yes, they were, but no job description or training could adequately inform or prepare anyone for the work they did. They're not military, although some have military backgrounds. These are all civilians and yes, they did their jobs - in extraordinary ways. In a few weeks when there's time to catch our breaths, I want to honor the efforts of everyone who's helped, who was 'just doing his or her job'. I'd like this to be a grass roots effort, since they saved more than 39 million of us. If you have ideas please send an e-mail, post on social media or call them in, we'll have a toll-free number set up." She spoke a little longer before signing off.

As she did so, applause and cheers broke out in the shelter. Tim finally raised his head, smiling, grateful his name hadn't been revealed. Then he laughed, "I really was just doing my job. I'm thankful it helped save lives, got all of us to safety faster."

His father ruffled his hair and then looked up as Ellie and the rest of their fellow federal employees joined them with questions in their eyes. Looking around, Tim nodded quickly and quietly said, "I've suspected since day one but now I'm certain. It was mentioned early on that the 'allied' agent was female; I believe Director Finch did that. Today the President said she was a former U.S. agent and said four Americans. Yes, I believe it was Ziva."

His father agreed, "Explains why she didn't communicate directly with us, couldn't take the risk."

Tony sighed, "Glad she has Monique, hope they're both safe."

Leon repeated DiNozzo's sigh, "Guess there's no chance of seeing or hearing from her until after the trials."

Agreeing with that, the agents dispersed, proud of Tim and Ziva both. Tim wondered if she'd somehow influenced having him on the decryption team. He never had figured out who had recommended him and why. His only publicly known experience was with Domino, for Vance when he split the team. He shrugged; if he ever saw her again, he'd ask. Like the others, he prayed she was safe.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! Thanks again for reading, favoriting, reviewing...means a great deal to me! And special thanks to my beta-reader, alix33. See you for the next story, whichever one I post next!

 

Chapter 33

Sheltered, Weeks 12-14 Post Attack, Sept. 26th - Oct. 9th, 2019, continued

Two days later Tim entered the basement from the house, swapping places with Ellie so she could attend DiNozzo's team meeting upstairs. He stopped when he saw Bec standing in the dirt, looking around her. Clearing his throat to attract her attention, he asked if she was all right.

She turned toward him. "Have you tested the dirt down here since the Colonel?"

"No. Do you think we should? It matched the pre-attack soil I gathered. Are you thinking of a garden down here? I've been meaning to ask you about that."

"Yes, I'd feel safer if we planted in here this year. We could build raised beds; that would be easier. Cover the bottoms with weed guard fabric, enough of a barrier. But we'll have to buy clean, that is uncontaminated, soil."

Tim grinned, "Did that already, it's in bags in the back of the storage shed where Jerry and John hauled it when they brought the horses from Oklahoma, the weekend the Threat Level was raised."

"They bought it?"

"No I did, on Amazon. Three separate orders, bought several of the biggest bags offered and had it all shipped here. I was thinking about our need for uncontaminated food after we left the shelter."

"Wonderful! We'll use that soil now and then next spring we'll see how the soil outside tests. We'll need a bigger compost bin that will have to be kept outside. Jethro can make us one; there are plenty of plans online." She thought for a minute, "I'd like to continue using the shelter Garden room for our immediate needs once we're all the way out. I have a list of plants we can plant down here," she grinned, "I've been wanting to plant down here since I first saw it!"

"Cool! What have you got in mind?"

"Avocado trees. We'll need at least two and we'll need bees. We can control them though. Keep the door closed and sealed on the house side and of course the tunnel door. We can rent a hive; I'll be with them to make sure pollination happens. And if we have bees, we could have fruit trees too, maybe several apple trees."

"Wow, I knew about beekeepers but I didn't realize they rent out their hives."

"It's probably not something most people think about. There are about 2 million commercially owned beehives in the U.S. and they're frequently rented out. A few years ago I read that the entire commercial hive population of the country goes to California to pollinate the almond groves there."

"Wow! And you're right, that's not something I've ever considered. So we'll build raised beds for everything, including the trees?"

"I need to think about that, we may dig down and enclose the hole so the trees can set down their roots." She twisted her lips. "Maybe the trees wait until after the baby's born and we know more about soil exposure outdoors."

"All right, but the rest?"

She smiled, "Absolutely and you big strong siblings can handle it. I'll give you the depth needed for the beds for the root vegetables. We should start out with carrots, beets, potatoes, turnips, yams, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, butternut squash, maybe four of those and we need to grow from certified clean plants or seeds started in reputable greenhouses. I believe Shannon brought extra packets of seeds; we'll use those first. For the next couple of years I want to focus on the root vegetables, they'll help nullify some of the possible after-effects of the attack. We also need to continue with the leafy greens and the beans; they're such a good source of protein, vitamins and antioxidants and will help feed our returnees when they get here. If we use our current plants as root stock, we'll be fine; those were all potted before we left Virginia."

"Good point. Ellie and I were talking about putting clerestory windows here in the outside basement wall, it'd bring in some natural light and we'd supplement with the grow lights. And if there any gardeners among the returnees, they can tend the plants in the shelter."

"I'm sure it'll be a cooperative effort. I like your idea about the windows; if they could open, that would really benefit the garden."

Excited about their plans, they returned to the shelter, finding lunch preparations in full swing. After they ate, teachers and students walked around the cork path before disappearing into the classroom and the feds got back to work. Done with her meeting, Ellie stayed below to work while Tim grabbed his laptop, phone and headed back upstairs to the playroom, hoping he could talk with Leon for a few minutes.

Engrossed in his work, he wasn't aware anyone had entered the room until a throat was cleared - Jimmy. Grinning from ear to ear, he told Tim the news their boss had just given him. "I'm going to perform autopsies all over the country, using robotic instruments. There will be three of us to start with so NCIS won't have to contract out our autopsies as much as we do. Did. Used to. And I won't have to travel! I will at first because I'm going to San Diego for training. I can see Abby and Jared if he's already started at UCSD. But I won't have to travel after that. Oh and each office will have an assistant to go to the crime scene with the field team and pick up the body. I'll be at the scene via video chat, Duo, Skype, Face Time, etcetera. The assistant will also be in the room during the autopsy in case I need something."

Tim's grin was as wide as Jimmy's. "Wow, that's really cool and exciting!"

"I know, huh? I have to go, I haven't even told Breena yet; don't tell her I told you first, ok? It's just that I was bursting and heard you clicking away."

Laughing, Tim gave his friend a hug and sent him on his way. A few minutes later he was back at work, working on a particularly complex case when his boss poked his head in. "Got a few minutes?"

"Sure, just give me a second to - ok, got my coding done."

"Big one?"

"Complex and nasty, not sure yet how big it'll be. I am sure it will take most of my team to figure this out and identify the perps. Be nice if they're all in one place but it's not looking like it."

"Mm, lots of coordinating then."

"Oh yeah. Helps to have people in different time zones; we're covered except for the East Coast."

"Can't do much about that. I'm told the internet is still sporadic as far north as Montreal."

"Wow!"

"Yeah. Wanted to talk to you about a couple of things. First of all, we're not going into the Marshals' building, too much danger of compromising their operations."

Tim nodded, "Thought we might be there temporarily but just as well."

"Right. DoD is working on a lease on another office building in town. It was formerly occupied by the FBI so it's fairly well configured for what we need. We'll have the whole building, six floors and a basement with a heavily secured drive-in garage for the vans and well, you know. We'll make that our evidence garage, same sort of setup. I have a video meeting with the property manager and a representative from the DoD on Friday. I'd like you, Ned and your father to join me. Ned because he worked the evidence lockup for so long, you because you have the eyes of a contemporary field agent and the best organizational skills I've ever seen and your father because between you three you'll ask the right questions. The leasing agent recorded a virtual tour so we'll see that first and then we can talk details."

Tim grinned, "Sounds good! Where's the CCU going?"

Leon chuckled, "You mean your office?"

"I'm hoping my department, Leon. I'd like some of my staff here, maybe hire newbies. With tech, as you know, have to keep up with the changes, keep hiring young and hope the rest of us can keep up."

"Good! That's exactly what I've been thinking too. No more basement. Because the CCU is in office 99% of the time, I want to put you on the sixth floor."

Tim frowned, "Where's your office going?"

"Fifth floor with MTAC. The field teams will be on the fourth floor, Legal and HR on the third. First floor is autopsy although I'm not sure we'll do that many here. It'll also house Palmer's office and he'll need some space. If we have a lab, we'll put it on the first floor too. Basement is two parts, main and sub. Main basement links to the evidence garage. The subbasement will house our holding cells."

"Great! Any chance of a fitness center?"

"Yes, one side of the basement has a lap pool and fitness center. And there's a roof garden up top."

Tim's face lit up, "That's great! The one at the Marshals' sure saved our hides while we were there with the kids. Two toddlers shut in for days in a small suite. Not to mention Dad and I going crazy just sitting around!"

"Speaking of the kids, the leasing agent told me there's vacant space that used to be a day-care in the building next door. I like the idea of dropping in to see the littles, keeps things in perspective. I haven't mentioned it to Lara yet but I'm betting she'll want to run it."

"Great! That'll ease my wife's mind, mine too and I'm sure the DiNozzos' and Palmers'."

"There are cafes and delis nearby, no need to drive anywhere for lunch. There's also a parking garage and DoD will deliver our vans and assigned sedans. And I've been assured the city will welcome us warmly. NCIS headquarters means top brass Navy and Marine visitors who'll need hotel rooms and restaurants. Not to mention the politicians." Leon sighed, "It won't be the Navy Yard but it'll eventually feel like home."

"It's not temporary?"

The other man shrugged. "Who knows? Right now, they're squabbling about which state or states should cede the land needed for the new capital. Ranges from West Coast to well, the Midwest. Porter thinks it'll be somewhere in the true center of the country, which is Lebanon, Kansas, and I agree. So we'll be within driving distance."

Tim grinned, "At least now we'll know when the Brass is on its way."

Vance made a noise, "Yeah. As soon as they decide on the location and it's deemed safe, they'll start on the buildings. The FBI, NSA, and most of the alphabets aren't waiting which is why we're able to jump in. FBI wants to be somewhere near O'Hare, which means they will have to wait for another couple of months, no idea where the others will end up. And they'll have to do something for the Joint Chiefs, another Pentagon if you will. Which will need to be close to the President's Office or White House or whatever we'll call the new one and…everyone else."

"And while they're squabbling about all that, any news on what's happening with our fellow evacuees?"

"Not much; can't really put any plans into motion until everyone's out of shelters, or at least everyone not on the East Coast. Those poor folks, the combined services are using airdrops for food and water now, either they continue that or start airlifting people out. That's probably what's going to have to happen eventually. They estimate over 6 million people are in shelters from southern Maine to mid Florida, right about where Mac's winter quarters are." He sighed, "With a big gap where DC, Maryland and north central Virginia were. And that's the East Coast; I haven't looked at how many are sheltered east of here."

"And we're not all the way outside yet, 1900 miles west. Wow."

"Yes, Porter says West Texas will be released two or three weeks after we are. That'll be a bunch of people returning to the world."

"I hope there are many people working online or the unemployment rate is going to remain in the stratosphere."

"Me too."

"If the building deal pans out, how soon after we're released can we move in?"

"About a month, might be a bit longer for MTAC as we're getting the upgraded version we were scheduled for last month. And we have about 6700 square feet that will be vacant, a little over half of the second floor. I want to have that configured into temporary apartments for returnees. Jared's been doing some research and calculations, says we can create 6 apartments out of that, each with 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. I'm thinking we might do a mix, 3 apartments with 2 bedrooms, 1 bath and 3 with three bedrooms, 2 baths. And we'll have space for a common area or a laundry room, maybe a combination. Anyway, we'll have to have a professional architect on it so we'll see. There are already two separate entrances and the vacant space is wired and plumbed; I believe the Bureau occasionally sequestered witnesses there."

"Good! I'm glad we can help as an agency and individuals."

"Me too. I've been in contact with O'Connell in HR, asked her to let me know how many of our employees from the East Coast are sheltered or were evacuated out of the country. I'd like to help them as much as possible."

Tim nodded. He knew all the NCIS HQ employees had either been transferred or moved out ahead of the government's evacuation process but he didn't know about the DC Field Office or its subordinate offices in Bethesda and Annapolis. Or Philadelphia or any of the other Northeast offices.

"Back to your staff, where do you want to start your recruiting?"

"I've been poking around here and there; couple of kids locally."

"Kids? How young?"

"College age, Leon. Over 18, one's 21 the other's 19."

"Yikes!"

"Hey, 19 is legal and they're not out in the field or carrying weapons. Although I would like to include some time in the field for training. Think that would make a huge difference in a tech's understanding of what we, the agency, does. And I was 21 at FLETC, 22 when I was hired."

"Huge difference between 19 and 22. Although with your background 22 was probably more like 32. Give me a proposal for field training, I like the idea."

Tim huffed, "32 or 12 and yes, I'll send you my proposal."

They talked for another few minutes about Tim's plans for his department. Tim was happy with the news; he could hire more techs and transfer a few of his staff here if they agreed. He was relieved the agency would have its own building and would be happy to have his children close.

He worked for a couple of hours and then went downstairs to the shelter for Ellie; they had a Skype appointment with Ms. Dullea, the principal of the school Tyler and Brynie would eventually attend.

The principal was glad they'd set up the meeting and told them she'd also heard from other parents of elementary school children. When she was told the children had been attending classes since they moved into the shelter, she wanted to know more. Ellie gave her the names of the instructors and an outline of what they'd taught. When Ms. Dullea had a question about math classes, Tim was able to answer with some authority. He hadn't taught math to the younger kids but he'd helped with the high school and college kids and couldn't help overhearing what the younger kids were doing. And of course he and Ellie had seen Ty and Brynie's work.

They thought she was pleased to hear about the classes and then were surprised when she said the district schools wouldn't reopen for some time after the Release from Shelter. She explained that people had been sheltering in the basement there and some of them were evacuees from the blast zones. They'd stay at the school until they found homes and then the campus would have a thorough cleaning and safety inspection. She asked if she could visit their classroom after the Release and Tim and Ellie looked at each other, it wasn't their decision to make. They settled for promising to pass the request on to their teachers and one of them would contact her.

Shannon, Eileen and Jazzy laughed when they told them. Eileen said she'd call her and arrange for a Skype visit but they wouldn't tell their students who she was and they wouldn't do anything out of the ordinary.

In the meantime, the college students submitted their transfer forms to their colleges of choice and responses were flooding in. Mateo was thrilled when he received e-mails advising him he'd been accepted at all three of his choices. There was an additional note from one Dean of Admissions who told him that George Washington University had opened a campus in Denver the previous year, it was now their lead campus and they planned to expand to Santa Fe in the near future.

The Dean said he was more than welcome to join their university but she wanted to make sure he knew about GWU. That was excellent news and he clicked on the link included. That led him to the people he needed to talk with at GWU Denver. By the end of the week, he'd decided to start his final undergrad semester at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. If GW Santa Fe opened before he finished, he might transfer but he doubted that would happen. The folks he'd spoken with at GW Denver didn't have a firm date on the campus opening and Mateo didn't want to wait. In the meantime, he could start taking a couple of online classes at UNM.

Kayla also received acceptance letters from the universities where she'd applied. She already knew she wanted to attend UNM and was pleased that there were online classes she could start taking.

Jeff Crane had applied although he didn't yet have his high school diploma. His shelter instructors were impressed by him. He hadn't had the units necessary to graduate because he took care of his younger brother and mother during her final illness. His foster, soon to be adoptive parents contacted a private school where he would be tested for his knowledge levels in various subjects, get credit for those classes and focus on what was left to do. Jazzy told Dave and Liz she expected Jeff to be finished within a month. He'd started applying to colleges and was now getting conditional acceptances. As his grades had been good prior to the last term and there were letters from the foster agency and his mother's physician explaining his absences, no one thought he'd have any problems.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Two weeks after Tim and Leon's conversation about future plans, the shelter residents had a phone call from the county office of Environmental and Public Health saying their property and the Ortizes' would be tested the following day.

Shelter dwellers in Albuquerque had been released two days before so this wasn't a complete surprise although Tim, Pete and Jethro thought it would take longer to get to them. However, the National Guard had been deployed to assist with whatever needed doing and they were currently working with the Environmental offices throughout New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. With their assistance, each county was able to test much faster than anticipated.

The windows in the house were jammed the next day; they even opened up the bedrooms so everyone could watch the soil and surrounding flora being tested. Just seeing human beings in their protective suits moving around outside was a thrill.

Spotting the anxious faces lining the windows, the environmentalist and assistants taking various samples smiled at them and the numbers. While the scientist couldn't yet give them a thumbs up as there was some additional testing to be done in the lab, the numbers looked very good.

With five ranches to test on this side of Bernalillo County and the drive to and from the lab, it was the next morning before testing was completed and then only because the lead environmentalist slept in her office and resumed testing before it was light out. The Gibbs' and Ortiz' ranches were good to go, three of the others situated in valleys southeast of La Serenidad and the Ortizes, were not. The scientist sent a confirming e-mail to the heads of households of the two 'good' ranches and then picked up the phone to call the other three, the ones who would have to wait.

Tim found himself pacing the walking track the next morning, waiting for the phone call, afraid the silence meant bad news. When he looked at the clock, he chuckled to himself - it was only 0600! Back in the day, even Boss wouldn't make local phone calls that early. Unless it was a kidnapping.

Tim logged onto his laptop and opened his e-mail. Nothing from the county. Then with an eye roll at his forgetfulness, he went to find his father. "Hey, the county has you listed as the head of household for the ranch."

"And?"

"Would you please check your e-mail?"

His dad gave a quick nod. "You know my password? It's been awhile."

Years ago, Tim had taken control of his father's personal passwords while Ellie and Tony controlled his agency passwords. This morning, the second one Tim tried worked. By now, more people were pacing and waiting, people who usually weren't up at this hour. And everyone who wasn't awake soon joined them when Tim whooped with joy.

"We're clean, we're free!"

People poured out of their rooms in various stages of undress, the first person out of the teens' room hammered on Uncle John and Aunt Cissy's room. The kids came running while Tim, his father and whoever else was there grabbed hold of each other. The noise woke the babies who didn't appreciate it. The crowd was making so much joyful noise the babies' crying could hardly be heard. Once their adults appeared, they calmed down and then managed a five-baby squeal.

When people quieted or were perhaps pausing to catch their breath, Tim held up his hand. "Here's the official letter."

He read it aloud, Bec and Mel translating the scientific terms. Then putting the laptop down, he grabbed the people closest to him, "We can leave the shelter, all of us. The numbers are so good even our pregnant mamas can leave! All of us can safely step outside. We can drive our cars on the roads into town. We can leave here, go to town, and go anywhere west of here!" He stopped for a minute, "But the roads east of here aren't good yet. We passed as did the Ortizes but there are three ranches about ten miles southeast of us who didn't get good news. I believe those roads and the ranches are in valleys. So when we drive out of here, turn left, not right!"

Eventually the pandemonium really did die back, especially when the wonderful smells of bacon, eggs and pancakes cooking drifted through the shelter. When they turned toward the kitchen, Jacob grinned at them. "Party breakfast! And maybe our last one together. I imagine our vehicles will need some work, but Elaine and I still have escrow to close on our house in Oregon!"

His wife smiled, "Eat first, then we'll make plans."

As that sounded like a good idea, tables, and chairs were once again pulled from the classroom and library so they could eat together. Over their breakfast feast, they discussed plans, everyone's plans. From Brynie's wish to ride her bike to the Rourkes' need to secure their new house. It was Wednesday, October 9th, fourteen weeks after they'd moved into the shelter, fourteen weeks since they'd lost thousands of neighbors and millions of homes and businesses to the nuclear attack.

When they could think again, they made a couple of decisions. One was that because it was Wednesday, classes would continue for the rest of the week. Parents would contact the school district again to see if they had a firmer date than when Tim and Ellie had spoken with Ms. Dullea.

College classes might go for longer provided their instructors were available. As the Bishops, Mel, Bec, Geo, Sarah, and Tim weren't going anywhere anytime soon that was fine.

Realizing their classroom would be full of distracted students and instructors, class this morning would be a walk outside in the sunshine.

Their second decision was to go outside together, all of them. Hearing that, Kelly climbed up on a table and whistled for attention, just as she'd learned from her father when she was 6 years old.

"We've been inside for 14 weeks, without any real sunlight. If we go out now without protection, we'll fry in the first 5 minutes. Everyone must apply sunscreen; wear long sleeves, sunglasses and hats. This is not a request; it's an order from your doctors. If we don't see that you've protected yourself adequately, you will not be allowed out until you do. Sunscreen, long sleeves, sunglasses and hats, that's all we ask."

When some people claimed not to have any sunglasses, Jimmy held up a box. "We have plenty."

Rob had tubes of sunscreen and Ducky passed out baseball caps. "It's October, normally many of us would be wearing hats of the playoff and World Series teams."

People laughed but they'd come this far in protecting themselves and saw the sense in the doctors' directives. Sunscreen was applied, shirts with long sleeves dug up, hats were donned with sunglasses in hand or perched on the hats, waiting until they were needed.

As they prepared, their joy and excitement started to build again. This was their freedom, they could start to move on from the worry and fear in preparing to evacuate, the intense caravanning to safety and the horror that eclipsed everything else, the attack an hour after they'd sheltered.

With the babies in strollers and Daddy packs, and the other kids nearly dancing in excitement, they were ready to go. They walked out through the main door, blinking happily in the bright sunlight, rejoining the world above ground, outside of the walls that kept them safe, breathing fresh air and facing their new reality with hope. This was After.

The End


End file.
